In this paper, hollow metallic micromachined needles with multiple output ports are designed, fabricated, characterized, and packaged. The hollow metallic needles include design features such as tapered needle tips and multiple output ports on the bottom and top of each needle. The needle tip and shaft are formed by microelectroformed metal. The flow characteristics of the needles are currently being experimentally investigated and modeled using a finite element numerical model. The experimental results and theoretical models will be presented as part of this paper. The micromachined needles can be fabricated on a variety of substrates and can use micro-electroformed palladium as the structural material. The use of palladium as a structural material provides high mechanical strength and durability, as well as, biocompatibility for use in biomedical applications. The cross-sectional dimensions of individual needle tips begin at less than 10 micrometers in width and 15 micrometers in height and then taper to 200 micrometers in width and 60 micrometers in height. The significance of this work includes the development of hollow metallic micromachined needles for biomedical applications, as well as, a discussion of structural, fluidic, and packaging design considerations.

Date Published: 19 August 1999
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 3877, Microfluidic Devices and Systems II, (19 August 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.359344

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3877:
Microfluidic Devices and Systems II
Chong Hyuk Ahn; A. Bruno Frazier, Editor(s)