Micromachined droplet ejector arrays

In this article we present a micromachined flextensional droplet ejector array used to eject liquids. By placing a fluid behind one face of a vibrating circular plate that has an orifice at its center, we achieve continuous ejection of the fluid. We present results of ejection of water and isopropanol. The ejector is harmless to sensitive fluids and can be used to eject fuels, organic polymers, photoresists, low-k dielectrics, adhesives, and chemical and biological samples. Micromachined two-dimensional array flextensional droplet ejectors were realized using planar silicon micromachining techniques. Typical resonant frequency of the micromachined device ranges from 400 kHz to 4.5 MHz. The ejections of water through a 4 μm diameter orifice at 3.45 MHz and a 10 μm diameter orifice at 2.15 MHz were demonstrated by using the developed micromachined two-dimensional array ejectors.