Low-Voltage Electroosmosis Pump and Its Application to on-Chip Linear Stepping Pneumatic Pressure Source

Low-voltage EOF pumps which consist of narrow gap channels and cascade configuration were microfabricated on quartz chips. A pressure of 500 rnmH2O (∼5000Pa) was obtained at 40V using a 120nm gap single stage pump, and it was confirmed that the pressure increase with cascade stage numbers without accumulating voltage. For an example of applications of these pumps, a linear stepping actuator was demonstrated as a pressure source of stand-alone pneumatic-driven microfluidics chips.