Foil-Level Inkjet-Printed pyroMEMS Balloon Actuators: Fabrication, Modeling, and Validation

A cleanroom-free fabrication process adapted to microfluidic devices is presented for pyrotechnical microelectromechanical systems balloon actuators. The actuators are intended for on-chip pumping and fluid ejection to replace tabletop pumping solutions in low-cost portable single-use microfluidic devices. The fabrication process leveraged polymeric foils (polyethylene terephthalate, SU-8, polydimethylsiloxane) for the structure, directly bonded using surface treatments, heat and pressure, and inkjet printing and electroplating for the igniter. This paper also presents a semianalytical model that successfully predicted the inflation height of the balloon for a given device geometry and propellant loading.