A fast and low-volume pipettor with integrated sensors for high precision

This paper describes the design and the measurement results of a new micropipetting device for the pipetting of biological liquids. The device has been designed for precise, accurate and fast pipetting in the micro- and submicroliter range. It contains a precision pipetting head with two integrated sensors realised in silicon bulk micromachining to ensure precision and accuracy and a coupled piezo disk-type actuator to fulfil the force requirements of fast pipetting. Measurements in open-loop mode showed pipetting of 0.5 to 2 μl with a CV between 1 and 7%. Closed-loop control of the actuator can eliminate the piezoactuator´s hysteresis and drift and further increase precision and accuracy