G. Potter
SUNY Albany, NY, USA
Many sensors, such as flow sensors and those used in medical diagnostics, rely on microfluidic devices. However, mixing and pumping fluids becomes challenging because of the small size of these devices. As an alternative to traditional actuation methods, surface acoustic waves (SAWs) can be used to create fluid streaming. Through a collaboration between SUNY Albany and SEMATECH, researchers have modeled and simulated a configuration of interdigitated transducers (IDTs), along with the piezoelectric substrate configuration and harmonic vibrations that generate SAWs. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, they studied the factors that affect the optimization of the device geometry, such as the acoustic streaming response and resonant frequency. Using their simulation results, they have confirmed that SAWs with greater vertical displacements have higher streaming velocities, and have correlated their results to experimental measurements.
Suggested Stories
Revving up Electrohydraulic Power Steering with Virtual Prototyping
In the automobile industry, the only thing faster than the cars that are produced is their design cycle. Validation ...
From Nanoantennas to Deep Space Satellites, Electron Emission Enables Efficient Power Generation
Researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the European Space Agency (ESA) are developing power ...
Restoration of Lake Water Environments
Human activity steals oxygen from natural water sources such as lakes and this oxygen-deficient water often contains ...
Light, Strong, and Defect-Free Laser Welding: Perfecting the Process for the Automotive Industry
Dozens of safety features in modern automobiles help reduce risk while driving, but regardless of their complexity, ...
