microfabrication – Page 2 – TechConnect Briefs

Embeddable Low-Voltage Micropump using Electroosmosis of the Second Kind

Heldal T., Volden T., Auerswald J., Knapp H., IQ Micro Inc., CH

A low-voltage micropump with no moving parts and based on standard MEMS fabrication techniques has been developed. High pumping rate is achieved by using electroosmosis of the second kind (EO2). The pump has been characterized [...]

MEMS-based solid propellant micro-rocket with micro-igniter on thin membrane for next generation of low-cost small space and aeronautic engines

Chaalane A., Rossi C., Estève D., LAAS/CNRS, FR

In this work, a new planar structure of solid propellant micro-rocket, for microspacecraft and Micro-Air-Vehicle applications is reported. These applications require extremely low levels of thrust and impulse in a very sort time. We have [...]

Microfluidic System for Assessing the Controllability of MC-1 Magnetotactic Bacteria as Carriers in Micro-channels

Lu Z., Martel S., NanoRobotics Laboratory, CA

A novel micromanipulation method using Magnetotactic Bacteria to push micro-objects is proposed. The controllability of MC-1 Magnetotactic Bacteria in micro-channels is verified through microfluidic device with implemented micro-electromagets. After introducation of microfabrication procedure and experiment [...]

Preservation of DNA and Protein Biofunctionality for Bio-MEMS & NEMS Fabrication

Trau D., Jie J., Sucher N.J., National University of Singapore (NUS), SG

Microfabrication processes especially in silicon are not compatible with biomolecules. For example, silicon processing is commonly performed at high temperatures and makes use of aggressive chemicals. Under these conditions biological materials are denaturated or decomposed. [...]

Integrated Techniques for Transmembrane Protein Sensing

Wilk S.J., Petrossian L., Goryll M., Thornton T.J., Goodnick S.M., Tang J.M., Eisenberg R.S., Arizona State University, US

We present a method for the microfabrication of apertures in a silicon substrate using well-known cleanroom technologies and a novel approach using phase sensitive detection to measure single channels of transmembrane proteins. These proteins are [...]

Integrated Gas-Phase Manufacturing of Nanostructured Particulate Films

Wegner K., Piseri P., Bongiorno G., Vinati S., Pratsinis S.E., Milani P., Tethis S.r.l., IT

An integrated process for controlled one-step production of nanostructured particulate thin films is presented, combining gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis, aerodynamic particle manipulation, size selection and deposition. Such films find industrial application for instance in fuel cells, [...]

Microfabricated Silicon Apertures for Ion Channel Measurement

Wilk S.J., Goryll M., Petrossian L., Laws G.M., Goodnick S.M., Thornton T.J., Saraniti M., Tang J.M., Eisenberg R.S., Arizona State University, US

Ion channels are proteins that act as pores in cell membranes and allow only specific ions to pass through the cell wall. Here, we present a method for microfabrication of apertures in a silicon substrate [...]

Batch Fabrication of Microsensor Arrays by TiO2 Nanoparticle Beam Deposition

Milani P., Barborini E., Piseri P., Iannotta S., Siciliano P., Universita' di Milano, IT

Here we present the production and characterization of chemical microsensors based on nanostructured TiO2 deposited on microfabricated platforms. Aerodinamically filtered supersonic cluster beam deposition allows to control the nanoparticle size and to deposit in batch [...]

Novel 2D Interfaces for Nanoelectrospray-Mass Spectrometry

Arscott S., Le Gac S., Druon C., Tabourier P., Rolando C., USTL, FR

This work concerns the development, fabrication and testing of novel 2D nanoESI emitter tips. The design of the emitter tips follows a fountain pen model; fabrication relies on the use of the negative photoresist SU-8. [...]

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) of Cells and Microparticle in PDMS Microfluidic Channels

Kanagasabapathi T.T., Backhouse C.J., Kaler K.V.I.S., University of Calgary, CA

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) [1] The behavior of polarized, neutral particles to the non-uniform electric field has been successfully applied for the levitation and subsequent isolation of biological cells and other micron-sized inorganic particles [2, 3]. This [...]