Analysis and experimental verification of microfluidic integrated circuits using analogous relationship between pneumatic microvalve and MOSFET

In this paper, a new concept, design, and potential demonstration of microfluidic integrated circuits are presented. The circuits are constructed utilizing an analogous relationship between MOSFET and pneumatic microvalve. The signal in the fluidic circuits is pressure or flow-rate. Small signal behavior of microfluidic integrated circuits can be expected using a small-signal equivalent model similar to that of MOS circuits. As an experimental verification, integrated pressure inverting amplifiers were fabricated and evaluated. As a result, performances of the fluidic integrated circuits were well explained by the small-signal model of them. Using the technology, multifunctional fluidic circuits can be realized for special application fields different from electronic integrated circuits.