Title :
Microfabricated out-of-plane arrays of integrated capillary nano-electrospray emitters
Author :
Krpoun, R. ; Shea, H.R.
Author_Institution :
Microsyst. for Space Technol. Lab., Ecole Polytech. Fed. de Lausanne (EPFL), Neuchatel, Switzerland
Abstract :
This paper presents the fabrication and operation of an integrated nano-electrospray thruster consisting of an array of microfabricated silicon capillary emitters and microfabricated silicon extractor electrodes. Based on previous work in which we showed operation of single microfabricated capillaries, the improved thruster presented here allows simultaneously operation of arrays of emitters. In addition, we control the hydraulic impedance of the capillaries by filling them with silica beads, thus tailoring the flow rate in order to spray either in droplet regime or in ionic regime for two ionic liquids. Operation in both modes is confirmed by mass spectrometry and retarding potential analysis. In ion regime, a specific impulse of 3500 s is obtained at 1.2 kV for the ionic liquid EMI-BF4.
Keywords :
aerospace propulsion; electrodes; mass spectra; microfabrication; micromechanical devices; nanofabrication; silicon; MEMS propulsion; Si; hydraulic impedance; integrated capillary nanoelectrospray emitters; integrated nanoelectrospray thruster; ionic liquid EMI-BF4; mass spectrometry; microfabricated out-of-plane arrays; microfabricated silicon capillary emitters; microfabricated silicon extractor electrodes; potential analysis; silica beads; voltage 1.2 kV; Assembly; Electrodes; Fabrication; Impedance; Mass spectroscopy; Propulsion; Sensor arrays; Silicon compounds; Throughput; Voltage; Electrospray; MEMS propulsion; colloid thruster;
Conference_Titel :
Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference, 2009. TRANSDUCERS 2009. International
Conference_Location :
Denver, CO
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4190-7
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4193-8
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2009.5285883
