Noncontact MEMS thermal flow sensors integrated in glass microfluidic chemical chip
(2025) In Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 35(6).- Abstract
This research focuses on developing an integrated flow rate sensor for microfluidic systems, widely used in medical and chemical applications. Unlike commercial sensors that should be attached externally, this sensor is embedded directly on the chip, saving space and improving low-flow measurement accuracy. For chemical experiment use, glass substrates were used for the microfluidic channel. In addition, by isolating metal components from fluid exposure, the design avoids contamination and unwanted electrochemical reactions in the liquid flow phase during the flow rate sensing. The sensor operates on a calorimetric thermal flow-sensing principle, allowing flexible placement across the chip. Using multi-physics simulations, optimal... (More)
This research focuses on developing an integrated flow rate sensor for microfluidic systems, widely used in medical and chemical applications. Unlike commercial sensors that should be attached externally, this sensor is embedded directly on the chip, saving space and improving low-flow measurement accuracy. For chemical experiment use, glass substrates were used for the microfluidic channel. In addition, by isolating metal components from fluid exposure, the design avoids contamination and unwanted electrochemical reactions in the liquid flow phase during the flow rate sensing. The sensor operates on a calorimetric thermal flow-sensing principle, allowing flexible placement across the chip. Using multi-physics simulations, optimal sensor geometry and dimension were determined, and microfabrication processes like photolithography and metal deposition were employed to realize the chip. Testing shows it can operate at heating levels of up to 75 °C and measure low flow rates from 0 to 8 μl min−1 with linear sensitivity.
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- author
- Hung, Shao Yang ; Lin, Zhong Wei ; Fujita, Hiroyuki ; Li, Sheng Shian ; Chen, Chihchen ; Kitamori, Takehiko LU and Morikawa, Kyojiro
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06-30
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- flow sensor, lab on a chip, MEMS, microfluidics
- in
- Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
- volume
- 35
- issue
- 6
- article number
- 065013
- publisher
- IOP Publishing
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105009042562
- ISSN
- 0960-1317
- DOI
- 10.1088/1361-6439/ade162
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.
- id
- 759f80b3-e7ad-446f-86ad-260f07676b33
- date added to LUP
- 2025-12-15 15:20:33
- date last changed
- 2025-12-15 15:21:09
@article{759f80b3-e7ad-446f-86ad-260f07676b33,
abstract = {{<p>This research focuses on developing an integrated flow rate sensor for microfluidic systems, widely used in medical and chemical applications. Unlike commercial sensors that should be attached externally, this sensor is embedded directly on the chip, saving space and improving low-flow measurement accuracy. For chemical experiment use, glass substrates were used for the microfluidic channel. In addition, by isolating metal components from fluid exposure, the design avoids contamination and unwanted electrochemical reactions in the liquid flow phase during the flow rate sensing. The sensor operates on a calorimetric thermal flow-sensing principle, allowing flexible placement across the chip. Using multi-physics simulations, optimal sensor geometry and dimension were determined, and microfabrication processes like photolithography and metal deposition were employed to realize the chip. Testing shows it can operate at heating levels of up to 75 °C and measure low flow rates from 0 to 8 μl min<sup>−1</sup> with linear sensitivity.</p>}},
author = {{Hung, Shao Yang and Lin, Zhong Wei and Fujita, Hiroyuki and Li, Sheng Shian and Chen, Chihchen and Kitamori, Takehiko and Morikawa, Kyojiro}},
issn = {{0960-1317}},
keywords = {{flow sensor; lab on a chip; MEMS; microfluidics}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{06}},
number = {{6}},
publisher = {{IOP Publishing}},
series = {{Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering}},
title = {{Noncontact MEMS thermal flow sensors integrated in glass microfluidic chemical chip}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6439/ade162}},
doi = {{10.1088/1361-6439/ade162}},
volume = {{35}},
year = {{2025}},
}