A MEMS thermopneumatic silicone rubber membrane valve

In this paper, a technology for fabricating silicone rubber membranes and integrating them with other processes on a silicon wafer has been developed. Silicone rubber has been found to have exceptional mechanical properties, including low Young's modulus, high elongation, and good sealing. An integrated normally open valve using a silicone rubber membrane and 3M PF5060 liquid for thermopneumatic actuation has been fabricated and tested. For a 1.34 LPM (1 min(-1)) air flow, 280 mW power input is required to close the valve at 20 psi inlet pressure. Due to the high permeability of silicone rubber, most liquids used in thermopneumatic systems will be lost, necessitating more work to find a suitable barrier material compatible with silicone rubber. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.