Micro channel structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11478794-B2
Application number	US-201916660890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Nov 7, 2018
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A micro channel structure includes a substrate, a supporting layer, a valve layer, a second insulation layer, a vibration layer and a bonding-pad layer. A flow channel is formed on the substrate. A conductive part and a movable part are formed on the supporting layer and the valve layer, respectively. A first chamber is formed at the interior of a base part and communicates to the hollow aperture. A supporting part is formed on the second insulation layer. A second chamber is formed at the interior of the supporting layer and communicates to the first chamber through the hollow aperture. A suspension part is formed on the vibration layer. By providing driving power sources having different phases to the bonding-pad layer, the suspension part moves upwardly and downwardly, and a relative displacement is generated between the movable part and the conductive part, to achieve fluid transportation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro channel structure comprising:
a substrate having a first surface, a second surface, at least one flow channel and a receiving slot, wherein the at least one flow channel and the receiving slot are formed by etching;
a first insulation layer formed on the first surface of the substrate by deposition and etched to expose the at least one flow channel of the substrate;
a supporting layer formed on the first insulation layer by deposition, having a protruding part and a conductive part formed by etching and etched to expose the at least one flow channel of the substrate;
a valve layer formed on the supporting layer by deposition and having a base part with a height, a movable part, a fixed part, and a hollow aperture formed by etching, wherein a first chamber is formed within the interior of the base part, the hollow aperture is formed on the valve layer and located at a position corresponding to the protruding part of the supporting layer, the hollow aperture and the first chamber are in fluid communication with each other, the movable part extends from the periphery of the hollow aperture to the base part, and the fixed part extends from the base part and away from the movable part;
a second insulation layer formed on the valve layer by deposition and having a supporting part with a height formed by etching, wherein a second chamber is formed within the interior of the supporting part, and the second chamber and the first chamber are in fluid communication with each other through the hollow aperture of the valve layer;
a vibration layer formed on the second insulation layer by deposition and having a suspension part, an outer frame, at least one connection part and a bonding-pad part formed by etching, wherein the at least one connection part is formed between the suspension part and the outer frame, to provide a supporting force to elastically support the suspension part, at least one vacant space is formed among the suspension part, the outer frame and the at least one connection part, and the bonding-pad part is spaced apart and free of electrical connection with the suspension part, the outer frame and the at least one connection part;
a lower electrode layer disposed on the vibration layer by deposition and formed on the suspension part by etching;
a piezoelectric actuation layer formed on the lower electrode layer by deposition and etching;
a bonding-pad layer formed on the valve layer, the vibration layer and the piezoelectric actuation layer by deposition and etching, wherein a reference electrode bonding pad is formed on the bonding-pad part of the vibration layer, an upper electrode bonding pad is formed on the piezoelectric actuation layer, a lower electrode bonding pad is formed on a lateral side of the outer frame of the vibration layer, and a valve-layer electrode bonding pad is formed on the fixed part of the valve layer; and
a mask layer formed on the second surface of the substrate by deposition and etched to expose the at least one flow channel and the receiving slot of the substrate, wherein the receiving slot and the conducive part of the supporting layer are in electrical connection with each other, and a base electrode bonding pad is formed by filling a polymer conductive material into the receiving slot, so that the base electrode bonding pad and the conductive part of the supporting layer are in electrical connection with each other;
wherein driving power sources having different phases are provided to the reference electrode bonding pad, the upper electrode bonding pad, the lower electrode bonding pad, the valve-layer electrode bonding pad and the base electrode bonding pad, so as to drive and control the suspension part of the vibration layer to displace upwardly and downwardly, and a relative displacement is generated between the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer, so that a fluid is inhaled through the at least one flow channel, flows into the first chamber, is converged in the second chamber through the hollow aperture of the valve layer, and is compressed to be discharged out to achieve fluid transportation.

2. The micro channel structure according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate, the valve layer and the vibration layer are made by a polysilicon material.

3. The micro channel structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer are made by a silicon nitride material.

4. The micro channel structure according to claim 1 , wherein the bonding-pad layer is made by a metallic material.

5. The micro channel structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the upper electrode bonding pad is configured to form a first loop circuit;
the lower electrode bonding pad is configured to form a second loop circuit, wherein opposite charges are provided to the first loop circuit and the second loop circuit, respectively, and the piezoelectric actuation layer drives and controls the suspension part of the vibration layer to displace upwardly and downwardly;
the valve-layer electrode bonding pad and the reference electrode bonding pad are configured to form a third loop circuit; and
the base electrode bonding pad and the reference electrode bonding pad are configured to form a fourth loop circuit, wherein identical charges are provided to the third loop circuit and the fourth loop circuit, respectively, thereby generating the relative displacement between the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer as a repelling displacement, wherein opposite charges are provided to the third loop circuit and the fourth loop circuit, respectively, thereby generating the relative displacement between the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer as an attracting displacement.

6. The micro channel structure according to claim 5 , wherein a positive voltage is applied to the first loop circuit and a negative voltage is applied to the second loop circuit, so that the piezoelectric actuation layer drives the suspension part of the vibration layer to displace in a direction away from the substrate.

7. The micro channel structure according to claim 5 , wherein a negative voltage is applied to the first loop circuit and a positive voltage is applied to the second loop circuit, so that the piezoelectric actuation layer drives the suspension part of the vibration layer to displace in a direction toward the substrate.

8. The micro channel structure according to claim 5 , wherein a positive voltage is applied to the third loop circuit and the fourth loop circuit to make the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer have identical charges, so that the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer having identical charges are repelled with each other to move, thereby making the moveable part of the valve layer displaced in the direction away from the substrate.

9. The micro channel structure according to claim 5 , wherein a positive voltage is applied to the third loop circuit and a negative voltage is applied to the fourth loop circuit to make the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer have opposite charges, so that the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer having opposite charges are attracted with each other to move, thereby making the moveable part of the valve layer displaced in the direction toward the substrate.

10. The micro channel structure according to claim 5 , wherein
a positive voltage is applied to the first loop circuit and a negative voltage is applied to the second loop circu

Assignees

• Microjet Technology Co Ltd
• Micro Jet Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mou Hao-Jan
• Yu Rong-Ho
• Chang Cheng-Ming
• Tai Hsien-Chung
• Liao Wen-Hsiung
• Huang Chi-Feng
• Han Yung-Lung
• Kuo Chun-Yi

Classifications

• F16K99/0051

  using electrostatic means · CPC title

• F04B43/046

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title

• B81B2203/0338

  Channels · CPC title

• F16K2099/0074

  using photolithography, e.g. etching · CPC title

• F04B43/043 Primary

  Micropumps · CPC title