Development of an electrostatically-driven fast pneumatic MEMS valve with lower driving voltage

Abstract

To control pneumatic microdevices in lab-on-a-chip devices, microrobots and so on, we have proposed an electrostatically-driven fast pneumatic MEMS valve driven at a relatively low voltage. The proposed valve has a stepped electrode that pulls the reed (electrode) from the root with the minimum gap to the tip with the maximum gap, which realizes large displacement, high response, and lower driving voltage. In this study, the proposed valve was fabricated using a MEMS process and its characteristics were investigated. A reed test devices having 3 × 3 mm²-sized reed were fabricated and their responses were investigated. The large displacement, high response, and lower driving voltage were experimentally confirmed. Then a three-port MEMS valve with 15 × 11 × 0.3 mm³ in size was fabricated and the flow control capabilities were experimentally clarified.