FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a micro channel structure, and more particularly to a micro channel structure driven by electric energy.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Currently, in all fields, the products used in many sectors such as pharmaceutical industries, computer techniques, printing industries or energy industries are developed toward elaboration and miniaturization. The fluid transportation devices are important components that are used in for example micro pumps, micro atomizers, printheads or the industrial printers.

With the rapid advancement of science and technology, the application of fluid transportation device tends to be more and more diversified. For the industrial applications, the biomedical applications, the healthcare, the electronic cooling and so on, even the most popular wearable devices, the fluid transportation device is utilized therein. It is obviously that the conventional fluid transportation devices gradually tend to miniaturize the structure and maximize the flow rate thereof.

In the prior art, the miniaturized fluid transportation structure has been made by micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) process and integrally formed into one piece. However, when in use, the conventional miniaturized fluid transporting structure fails to be implanted to transport the gas due to different ways of actions. Therefore, how to utilize an innovative miniaturized fluid transporting structure to break through the bottleneck of the prior art has become an important part of development.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The object of the present disclosure is to provide a micro channel structure. The micro channel structure of the present disclosure is driven by electric energy and capable of transporting gas. Since the micro channel structure of the present disclosure is produced by a standard micro-electromechanical system process, the costs of development and mass production are low. Moreover, the structural size and flatness of the micro channel structure of the present disclosure are stable, and it benefits from making the reliability and service life of the operation increase.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a micro channel structure. The micro channel structure includes a substrate, a first insulation layer, a supporting layer, a valve layer, a second insulation layer, a vibration layer, a low electrode layer, a piezoelectric actuation layer, a bonding-pad layer, and a mask layer. The substrate has a first surface, a second surface, at least one flow channel and a receiving slot, wherein the at least one flow channel and the receiving slot are formed by etching. The first insulation layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate by deposition and etched to expose the at least one flow channel of the substrate. The supporting layer is formed on the first insulation layer by deposition, has a protruding part and a conductive part formed by etching and is etched to expose the at least one flow channel of the substrate. The valve layer is formed on the supporting layer by deposition and has a base part with a height, a movable part, a fixed part, and a hollow aperture formed by etching, wherein a first chamber is formed within the interior of base part, the hollow aperture is formed on the valve layer and located at a position corresponding to the protruding part of the supporting layer, the hollow aperture and the first chamber are in fluid communication with each other, the movable part extends from the periphery of the hollow aperture to the base part, and the fixed part extends from the base part and away from the movable part. The second insulation layer is formed on the valve layer by deposition and having a supporting part with a height formed by etching, wherein a second chamber is formed within the interior of the supporting part, and the second chamber and the first chamber are in fluid communication with each other through the hollow aperture of the valve layer. The vibration layer is formed on the second insulation layer by deposition and has a suspension part, an outer frame, at least one connection part and a bonding-pad part formed by etching, wherein the at least one connection part is formed between the suspension part and the outer frame, to provide a supporting force to elastically support the suspension part, at least one gap is formed among the suspension part, the outer frame and the at least one connection part, and the bonding-pad part is spaced apart and free of electrical connection with the suspension part, the outer frame and the at least one connection part. The lower electrode layer is disposed on the vibration layer by deposition and formed on the suspension part by etching. The piezoelectric actuation layer is formed on the lower electrode layer by deposition and etching. The bonding-pad layer is formed on the valve layer, the vibration layer and the piezoelectric actuation layer by deposition and etching, wherein a reference electrode bonding pad is formed on the bonding-pad part of the vibration layer, an upper electrode bonding pad is formed on the piezoelectric actuation layer, a lower electrode bonding pad is formed on a lateral side of the outer frame of the vibration layer, and a valve-layer electrode bonding pad is formed on the fixed part of the valve layer. The mask layer is formed on the second surface of the substrate by deposition and etched to expose the at least one flow channel and the receiving slot of the substrate, wherein the receiving slot and the conducive part of the supporting layer are in electrical connection with each other, and a base electrode bonding pad is formed by filling a polymer conductive material into the receiving slot, so that the base electrode bonding pad and the conducive part of the supporting layer are in electrical connection with each other. Driving power sources having different phases are provided to the reference electrode bonding pad, the upper electrode bonding pad, the lower electrode bonding pad, the valve-layer electrode bonding pad and the base electrode bonding pad, so as to drive and control the suspension part of the vibration layer to displace upwardly and downwardly, and a relative displacement is generated between the movable part of the valve layer and the conductive part of the supporting layer, so that a fluid is inhaled through the at least one flow channel, flows into the first chamber, is converged in the second chamber through the hollow aperture of the valve layer, and is compressed to be discharged out to achieve fluid transportation.

The above contents of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

