Inventors:
Kenneth R. Hencken - Pleasanton CA
George B. Sartor - Tracy CA
Assignee:
Sandia National Laboratories - Livermore CA
International Classification:
G01N 27447
Abstract:
An electrokinetic pump in which the porous dielectric medium of conventional electrokinetic pumps is replaced by a patterned microstructure. The patterned microstructure is fabricated by lithographic patterning and etching of a substrate and is formed by features arranged so as to create an array of microchannels. The microchannels have dimensions on the order of the pore spacing in a conventional porous dielectric medium. Embedded unitary electrodes are vapor deposited on either end of the channel structure to provide the electric field necessary for electroosmotic flow.
