Modeling and Manufacturing of an Electrostatically Driven Actuator for Micropumps

Abstract:
This work constitutes towards a bubble tolerant electrostatic micropump. One key task in this respect is the development of the actuator unit. Specifically, a model is derived utilizing an analytical compact model and comparing it to a numerical continuous-field and a system-level approach, whereby the model allows the estimation of operating voltages, stroke volumes and blocking-pressures of a perspective micropump. Finally, the manufacturing as well as an initial characterization of the actuator unit is presented, enabling the realization of an electrostatically driven micropump.