Micro fluid actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085554-B2
Application number	US-202016740839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2020
Priority date	Jan 15, 2019
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A micro fluid actuator includes a first substrate, a chamber layer, a vibration layer, a first metal layer, a piezoelectric actuation layer, a second metal layer, a second substrate, an inlet layer, a resonance layer and an aperture array plate. The first substrate includes a plurality of first outflow apertures and a plurality of second outflow apertures. The chamber layer includes a storage chamber. The second metal layer includes an upper electrode pad and a lower electrode pad. While driving power having different phase charges is provided to the upper electrode pad and the lower electrode pad to drive and control the vibration layer to displace in a reciprocating manner, the fluid is inhaled from the exterior through the inlet layer, converged to the storage chamber, compressed and pushes out the aperture array plate, and then is discharged out from the micro fluid actuator to achieve fluid transportation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro fluid actuator comprising:
a substrate having a first surface, a second surface, an outlet groove, a plurality of first outflow apertures and a plurality of second outflow apertures, wherein the outlet groove, the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures are formed by an etching process, the outlet groove is in fluid communication with the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures, and the plurality of second outflow apertures are disposed on outer side of the plurality of first outflow apertures;
a chamber layer formed on the first surface of the substrate by a deposition process, and etched to form a storage chamber, wherein the storage chamber is in fluid communication with the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures;
a vibration layer formed on the chamber layer by the deposition process, and etched to form a plurality of fluid grooves and a vibration region, wherein the plurality of fluid grooves are symmetrically formed on two opposite sides of the vibration layer, and the vibration region is thereby defined;
a first metal layer formed on the vibration layer by the deposition process, and etched to form a lower electrode region, a plurality of barrier regions and a plurality of gaps, wherein the lower electrode region is formed correspondingly in position to the vibration region, the plurality of gaps are formed between the lower electrode region and the plurality of barrier regions, and the plurality of barrier regions are formed corresponding in outside positions to the plurality of fluid grooves;
a piezoelectric actuation layer formed on the first metal layer by the deposition process, and etched to form an actuation region corresponding in position to the lower electrode region of the first metal layer;
a separation layer formed on the piezoelectric actuation layer and the first metal layer by the deposition process, and etched to form a plurality of gap walls within the plurality of gaps;
a second metal layer formed on the piezoelectric actuation layer, the first metal layer and the separation layer by the deposition process, and etched to form an upper electrode pad and a lower electrode pad on the first metal layer;
a waterproof layer formed on the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the separation layer by a coating process, and etched to expose the upper electrode pad and the lower electrode pad;
a photoresist layer formed on the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the waterproof layer after development;
an inlet layer forming a plurality of fluid inlets thereon by the etching process or a laser process;
a fluid channel layer formed on the inlet layer, and having an inflow chamber, a plurality of inflow channels and a plurality of fluid channel inlets formed by a photolithography process, wherein the plurality of fluid channel inlets are respectively in fluid communication with the plurality of fluid inlets of the inlet layer, the plurality of inflow channels and the plurality of fluid channel inlets are disposed around the surrounding of the inflow chamber, and the plurality of inflow channels are in fluid communication between the plurality of fluid channel inlets and the inflow chamber;
a resonance layer formed on the fluid channel layer by a rolling process, forming a chamber through hole thereon by the etching process, wherein the resonance layer joins the photoresist layer by a flip alignment process and a wafer bonding process; and
an aperture array plate formed on the substrate by a sticking process and comprising a plurality of aperture plate through holes, wherein the plurality of aperture plate through holes are misaligned with the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures, thereby sealing the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow aperture of the substrate,
wherein as driving power having different phase charges is provided to the upper electrode pad and the lower electrode pad to drive and control the vibration region of the vibration layer to displace in a reciprocating manner, the fluid is inhaled from the plurality of fluid inlets, flows into the inflow chamber through the plurality of inflow channels, flows into the resonance chamber through the chamber through hole, flows into the storage chamber through the plurality of fluid grooves, is compressed to flow through the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures, pushes out the aperture array plate, and then is discharged out from the plurality of aperture plate through holes to achieve fluid transportation.

2. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode pad and the lower electrode pad are respectively formed on two opposite sides of the piezoelectric actuation layer.

3. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein each of the second outflow apertures has an aperture size greater than that of each of the first outflow apertures.

4. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is etched to form a plurality of auxiliary grooves by the etching process, the plurality of auxiliary grooves are symmetrically formed on two opposite sides of the outlet groove, and thereby a positioning pillar is formed between the outlet groove and each auxiliary groove, wherein the positioning pillar is used to position the aperture array plate.

5. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made of silicon material.

6. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber layer is made of silicon dioxide material.

7. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration layer is made of silicon mononitride material.

8. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the first metal layer is made of titanium nitride material or tantalum material.

9. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the separation layer is made of silicon dioxide material.

10. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer is made of gold material or aluminum material.

11. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is etched to form the plurality of first outflow apertures and the plurality of second outflow apertures by a deep reactive ion etching process.

12. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber layer is etched to form the storage chamber by a wet etching process.

13. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the photoresist layer is a thick-film photoresist.

14. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the resonance layer is etched to form the chamber through hole by a dry etching process.

15. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the resonance layer is etched to form the chamber through hole by a laser etching process.

16. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein when a positive voltage is applied to the upper electrode pad and a negative voltage is applied to the lower electrode pad, the actuation region of the piezoelectric actuation layer drives the vibration region of the vibration layer to displace in a direction away from the substrate.

17. The micro fluid actuator according to claim 1 , wherein when a negative voltage is applied to the upper electrode pad and a positive voltage is applied to the lower electrode pad, the actuation region of the piezoelec

Assignees

• Microjet Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mou Hao-Jan
• Yu Rong-Ho
• Chang Cheng-Ming
• Tai Hsien-Chung
• Liao Wen-Hsiung
• Huang Chi-Feng
• Han Yung-Lung
• Chen Hsuan-Kai

Classifications

• F04B43/046 Primary

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title

• F16K99/0048 Primary

  using piezoelectric means · CPC title

• F16K2099/0086

  Medical applications · CPC title

• B81C1/00023

  without movable or flexible elements (array of static structures for functionalising surfaces in B81C1/00206; manufacture of MEMS devices for specific applications, see relevant places, e.g. microreactors B01J19/0093, lab-on-chip B01L3/5027, micromixers B01F33/30) · CPC title

• F16K99/0003

  Constructional types of microvalves; Details of the cutting-off member · CPC title