A micropipettor with integrated sensors

Abstract We describe here the design, the fabrication and the bonding as well as the measurement results of a new micropipetting device for the pipetting of biological liquids. The device has been designed for precise, accurate and fast pipetting in the micro- and submicroliter range. It contains a precision pipetting head with two integrated sensors realised in silicon bulk micromachining to ensure precision and accuracy and a coupled piezo disk-type actuator to fulfil the force requirements of fast pipetting. Measurements in open-loop mode showed pipetting of 0.5–2 μl with a CV between 1 and 7%. Thanks to the integrated sensors the system offers closed-loop operation to compensate for the piezoactuator’s hysteresis and drift and thus further increasing precision and accuracy.

[1]  J. Fluitman,et al.  Integrated micro-liquid dosing system , 1991, [1993] Proceedings IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[2]  Ingo Ederer,et al.  Droplet generator with extraordinary high flow rate and wide operating range , 1997, Proceedings of International Solid State Sensors and Actuators Conference (Transducers '97).

[3]  H. Lintel,et al.  A piezoelectric micropump based on micromachining of silicon , 1988 .

[4]  D. Maillefer,et al.  A high-performance silicon micropump for an implantable drug delivery system , 1999, Technical Digest. IEEE International MEMS 99 Conference. Twelfth IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Cat. No.99CH36291).

[5]  Mario Di Giovanni,et al.  Flat and Corrugated Diaphragm Design Handbook , 1982 .

[6]  G. Stemme,et al.  A valveless diffuser/nozzle-based fluid pump , 1993 .

[7]  Martin Richter,et al.  Robust design of gas and liquid micropumps , 1998 .

[8]  M. Richter,et al.  A bidirectional silicon micropump , 1995 .

[9]  Rudolf A. Buser,et al.  Pneumatically actuated micropipetting device , 1998, Photonics West - Biomedical Optics.

[10]  S. Jeanneret,et al.  Integrated flow-regulated silicon micropump , 1994 .

[11]  B. Puers,et al.  Characterization of the electrostatic bonding of silicon and Pyrex glass , 1995 .