Piezoelectric MEMS transducers for microfluidic pumping applications

Microfluidic systems have revolutionized biomedical diagnostics as well as lab-on-a-chip and organ-on-a-chip technologies by enabling precise manipulation of fluids at the microscale. A critical component of these systems is the pumping mechanism, which must be compact, energy-efficient, compatible with miniaturized platforms and transparent to allow for optical analytic techniques. MEMS technologies have emerged as a promising solution for actuation at miniaturized platforms, offering low power consumption, contactless operation, and seamless integration with silicon-based microfabrication processes.^1,2      

The focus of this project is to develop a microfluidic pump based on the available piezoelectric MEMS technology technology, which has already demonstrated high-performance ultrasound transducers (PMUTs)³. The candidate will be co-supervised by Dr. Alp Toymus (ECTM) and Dr. Tomas Manzaneque (EI).

1.     Yang, S., Rufo, J., Chen, Y. et al. Acoustic tweezers for advancing precision biology and medicine. Nat Rev Methods Primers 5, 49 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-025-00415-w

2.     Wu, C., Keulemans, G., Jones, B. et al. Three-Phase ScAlN-based PMUT driven Acoustic Steaming Micropump, 15 September 2025, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7170127/v1]

3.     Zhao, X., Pertijs, M., and Manzaneque, T., "Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) Based on Bilayer X-Cut Lithium Niobate," 2025 23rd International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers), Orlando, FL, USA, 2025, pp. 530-533, doi: 10.1109/Transducers61432.2025.11109989.

Assignment

1.    A literature review of the state-of-the-art in microfluidic pumps and acoustic tweezers.

2.    Analytical and finite element analyses of the PMUTs for targeted microfluidic pumping.

3.    Microfabrication of the optimized designs at Kavli Nanolab cleanroom.

4.    Characterization of the fabricated devices.

5.    Reporting & Thesis writing.

Requirements

• Interest in multidisciplinary research.
• Experience with or motivation to learn COMSOL Multiphysics.
• Experience with or motivation to learn microfabrication and MEMS.
• Interest in life sciences & biomedical applications.

Contact

Last modified: 2025-10-14