High Flow Rate Peristaltic Electromagnetic Micropump Fabricated Using Multiple Photolithography

This paper reports a channel fabrication method using multiple photolithography for peristaltic electromagnetic micropump. The process is aimed to create a PDMS based microchannel and pump chamber with sufficient cross-sectional width and height to enable the high-transport rate of fluidic sample. The process replaces the SU-8 based channel filler that cannot be removed by PDMS compatible chemicals. This technique includes 4 main steps. The initial process uses the SU-8 photoresist to create the pathway followed with the second photolithography using the AZ 4620 photoresist to fill up the channel. The next process is to pattern the PDMS mold close to the photoresist and form a chamber. The last process is to remove the photoresist in the channel using acetone, so that the channel will be formed properly. The coating properties and surface quality were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the studied process method can form the channels and pump chamber without any leaking that ensures an easier, simpler and more advantageous process compared to conventional lithography process.