Fabrication and characterization of a silicon microvalve

Abstract

Abstract The fabrication of a unidirectional micro‐valve in silicon is reported. Pressure/flow characteristics between 0–1 bar for water were measured. Practically no leakage was observed (less than 1 nL min −1 ) when the valve was pressurized in the backward direction. A nonlinear pressure‐flow relation, believed to be due to the particular design of the closing cantilever beam, was observed in the forward direction. Some of the merits of the construction are discussed.