Field-Effect Flow Control for Microfabricated Fluidic Networks

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 286; no. 5441; pp. 942 - 945
• Main Authors: Richard B. M. Schasfoort, Schlautmann, Stefan, Hendrikse, Jan, van den Berg, Albert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 29.10.1999; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Applied fluid mechanics; Applied sciences; Capacitance; Chemistry; Dyes; Electric fields; Electric potential; Electrodes; Equipment and supplies; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental design; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fluidics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Manufacturing; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Research design; Semiconductor wafers; Silicon; Silicon nitrides; Fabrication; Electric field effects; Electroosmosis; Precision engineering; Micromachining; Network; Flow control; Microchannel plates; Microstructure; Osmotic pump; Fluidics
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.286.5441.942

The magnitude and direction of the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) inside a microfabricated fluid channel can be controlled by a perpendicular electric field of 1.5 megavolts per centimeter generated by a voltage of only 50 volts. A microdevice called a "flowFET," with functionality comparable to that of a field-effect transistor (FET) in microelectronics, has been realized. Two flowFETs integrated with a channel junction have been used to generate opposite flows inside a single EOF-pumped channel, thus illustrating the potential of the flowFET as a controlling and switching element in microfluidic networks.