Microgasketing and adhesive wicking techniques for fabrication of microfluidic devices

Abstract

Microgasketing procedure, developed for MEMS fluidic device fabrication, is described. Planar-processed microdevices of a volume even less than 1 nl can be selectively filled with liquid and sealed at room temperature in a batch fashion. Isolating a liquid within such a small device area by the gasketing and minimizing air traps during sealing by controlled wicking are the key issues addressed. Two unique microdevices made possible by the described technique are presented: (1) a microrelay switched by a liquid-metal droplet (10 micrometers in diameter), and (2) a highly efficient (e.g., power consumption < 10 (mu) W with driving potential < 10 V) liquid micromotor driven by surface tension force.