Microfluidics based on ZnO/nanocrystalline diamond surface acoustic wave devices.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices with 64 μm wavelength were fabricated on a zinc oxide (ZnO) film deposited on top of an ultra-smooth nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) layer. The smooth surface of the UNCD film allowed the growth of the ZnO film with excellent c-axis orientation and low surface roughness, suitable for SAW fabrication, and could restrain the wave from significantly dissipating into the substrate. The frequency response of the fabricated devices was characterized and a Rayleigh mode was observed at ∼65.4 MHz. This mode was utilised to demonstrate that the ZnO/UNCD SAW device can be successfully used for microfluidic applications. Streaming, pumping, and jetting using microdroplets of 0.5 and 20 μl were achieved and characterized under different powers applied to the SAW device, focusing more on the jetting behaviors induced by the ZnO SAW.

Characterization of the surface acoustic wave devices based on ZnO/nanocrystalline diamond structures

Nanocrystalline ZnO films with strong (0002) texture and fine grains were deposited onto ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) layers on silicon using high target utilization sputtering technology. The unique characteristic of this sputtering technique allows room temperature growth of smooth ZnO films with a low roughness and low stress at high growth rates. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices were fabricated on ZnO/UNCD structure and exhibited good transmission signals with a low insertion loss and a strong side-lobe suppression for the Rayleigh mode SAW. Based on the optimization of the layered structure of the SAW device, a good performance with a coupling coefficient of 5.2% has been realized, promising for improving the microfluidic efficiency in droplet transportation comparing with that of the ZnO/Si SAW device. An optimized temperature coefficient of frequency of -23.4 ppm°C-1 was obtained for the SAW devices with the 2.72 μm-thick ZnO and 1.1 μm-thick UNCD film. Significant thermal effect due to the acoustic heating has been redcued which is related to the temperature stability of the ZnO/UNCD SAW device. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhancement of microfluidic efficiency with nanocrystalline diamond interlayer in the ZnO-based surface acoustic wave device

Ultra-smooth nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films with high-acoustic wave velocity were introduced into ZnO-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices to enhance their microfluidic efficiency by reducing the acoustic energy dissipation into the silicon substrate and improving the acoustic properties of the SAW devices. Microfluidic efficiency of the ZnO-based SAW devices with and without UNCD inter layers was investigated and compared. Results showed that the pumping velocities increase with the input power and those of the ZnO/UNCD/Si devices are much larger than those of the ZnO/Si devices at the same power. The jetting efficiency of the droplet was improved by introducing the UNCD interlayer into the ZnO/Si SAW device. Improvement in the microfluidic efficiency is mainly attributed to the diamond layer, which restrains the acoustic wave to propagate in the top layer rather than dissipating into the substrate. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Microgripper using a diamond like carbon/metal bilayer

A novel normally closed microcage has been fabricated and characterized. This device was made from a highly compressively stressed diamond like carbon (DLC) and electroplated Ni bimorph structure. The large stress in the DLC causes the bimorph layer to curve once it is released from the substrate. The radius of curvature is in the range of 18 - 50μm, and can be controlled by varying the DLC and the Ni thicknesses. The devices can be operated in a pulsed mode current with low operation temperature, and can be opened by ∼60μm laterally with a power consumption of only ∼16mW. © 2004 IEEE.

Normally closed microgrippers based on diamond-like carbon/Ni bimorph and diamond-like carbon/metal/polymer trimorph structures

Multi-finger, normally-closed microgrippers made from a bilayer of a metal and diamond-like carbon (DLC) or a trilayer of a polymer, metal and DLC have been analysed, simulated and fabricated. Temperatures of ∼700 K are necessary to open Ni/DLC bimorph structures. Microgrippers made from an SU8/DLC bilayer or SU8/Al/DLC trilayer have also been fabricated, and fully closed microcages with diameters of ∑40 μm have been obtained. Using SU8 reduces the opening temperature of these devices to only ∼400 K.