CMOS control and actuation system of piezoelectric transducers for pumping, mixing and heating microfluids in lab-on-a-chip devices

Abstract

This article presents the electric control and actuation system of several piezoelectric transducers placed underneath microfluidic channels and reaction chambers of lab-on-a-chip devices for pumping, mixing and heating fluids. The final goal of this lab-on-a-chip device will be the analysis of (bio)chemical markers in biological fluids, without a complex and bulky pumping system. The transducers control and actuation electronics outputs different frequencies and amplitudes signals that can be programed by the user. Therefore several acoustic waves are created that interact with the fluids controlling their pumping, mixing and heating. The electronic system is connected to an external microcontroller for data processing. The simulation results presented allows concluding that the piezoelectric actuators can be actuated with a frequency ranging from 3 MHz to 386 MHz and a resolution of 2.6 MHz.