Laminate Materials for Microfluidic PCBs

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 (1) ◽  
pp. 000162-000168
Author(s):  
Sarkis Babikian ◽  
Brian Soriano ◽  
G.P. Li ◽  
Mark Bachman
Keyword(s):  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Microfluidic Channels ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Laminate Materials ◽  
Integrated Microfluidics ◽  
Functional Components

The printed circuit board (PCB) is a very attractive platform to produce highly integrated highly functional microfluidic devices. We have investigated laminate materials and developed novel fabrication processes to realize low cost and scalable to manufacturing integrated microfluidics on PCBs. In this paper we describe our vision to integrate functional components with microfluidic channels. We also report on the use of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) as a laminate for microfluidics. The material was characterized for microfluidic applications and compared with our previously reported laminates: 1002F and Polyurethane.

scholarly journals Highly Compact Through-Wire Microstrip to Empty Substrate Integrated Coaxial Line Transition

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6885
Author(s):  
Marcos D. Fernandez ◽  
José A. Ballesteros ◽  
Angel Belenguer
Keyword(s):  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Coaxial Line ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Central Layer ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Integrated Technology ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
The Many ◽  
High Degree

Empty substrate integrated coaxial line (ESICL) technology preserves the many advantages of the substrate integrated technology waveguides, such as low cost, low profile, or integration in a printed circuit board (PCB); in addition, ESICL is non-dispersive and has low radiation. To date, only two transitions have been proposed in the literature that connect the ESICL to classical planar lines such as grounded coplanar and microstrip. In both transitions, the feeding planar lines and the ESICL are built in the same substrate layer and they are based on transformed structures in the planar line, which must be in the central layer of the ESICL. These transitions also combine a lot of metallized and non-metallized parts, which increases the complexity of the manufacturing process. In this work, a new through-wire microstrip-to-ESICL transition is proposed. The feeding lines and the ESICL are implemented in different layers, so that the height of the ESICL can be independently chosen. In addition, it is a highly compact transition that does not require a transformer and can be freely rotated in its plane. This simplicity provides a high degree of versatility in the design phase, where there are only four variables that control the performance of the transition.

A PCB Sensor for Magnetic Materials

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (DPC) ◽  
pp. 001323-001342
Author(s):  
Robert N. Dean ◽  
Lauren E. Beckingham
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Materials ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Complex Impedance ◽  
Corrosion Products ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Surrounding Environment

Printed circuit board (PCB) sensors are a sensor technology where the layout of traces on a PCB has been optimized so that the traces electromagnetically interact with the surrounding environment. These types of sensors can be manufactured at very low cost using standard commercially available low-cost printed circuit board fabrication. Exposed conductive electrodes on the circuit board are useful for measuring the electrical conductivity of the surrounding environment, and these sensors have been used in applications such as salinity measurement and dissolved ion content measurement of aqueous solutions. Insulated interdigitated electrode sensors are useful for capacitively analyzing the surrounding environment, and these sensors have been used to detect the presence of liquid water and to measure the moisture content of substances in physical contact with the sensor. Additionally, by measuring the complex impedance of the capacitive sensor over a wide frequency range, information concerning the chemical composition of the substance in contact with the sensor can be determined. In addition to conducive and capacitive PCB sensors, the third type of PCB sensor would be an inductive sensor. Although it is challenging to realize 3D coils in PCB technology, planar inductors can be realized in a single Cu layer on a PCB, and insulated from the environment using a cover layer of polymeric solder mask. This type of electrode structure can inductively couple with magnetic materials in close proximity to the sensor. A variety of magnetic materials exist, including iron, nickel and cobalt. Additionally, many alloys of these elements are also magnetic. Of particular interest are corrosion products with magnetic properties, such as iron(III) oxide, Fe3O2, also known as common rust. A thin layer of iron(III) oxide powder deposited on the sensor's active area results in a measureable increase in the sensor's inductance. As such, an inductive PCB sensor could be a low-cost option for detecting the presence of some corrosion products in its operating environment.

A Comparison of Immersion Gold and Tin Surface Finishes on Sensing Electrodes for PCB Environmental Saltwater Concentration Sensors

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (1) ◽  
pp. 000557-000562
Author(s):  
Robert N. Dean ◽  
Frank T. Werner ◽  
Michael J. Bozack
Keyword(s):  
Surface Finish ◽  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Testing Environment ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Sensor Performance ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Surface Finishes

Abstract Printed circuit board (PCB) sensors using low-cost commercial printed circuit board fabrication processes have been demonstrated for environmental sensing applications. One configuration of these sensors uses exposed electrodes to measure saltwater concentration in freshwater/seawater mixtures, through monitoring the resistance between the electrodes when they are immersed in the saltwater/freshwater solution. The lowest cost commercial PCB processes use an immersion Sn HASL surface finish on exposed copper cladding, including the sensing electrodes. This commercial PCB process has been demonstrated to make an effective, low-cost, short-lifetime sensor for saltwater concentration testing. The Sn finish, however, may not be optimal for this application. Sn oxidizes, which can interfere with sensor performance. Additionally, Sn and Sn oxides are potentially reactive with chemical constituents in seawater and seawater/freshwater solutions. An immersion Au (ENIG) surface finish is certainly less reactive with the atmosphere and chemicals likely present in the testing environment. However, an immersion Au finish increases the cost of the sensors by 30% to 40%. To investigate if the possible benefits of the more expensive Au surface finish are worth the extra expense, a study was performed where identical PCB sensors were procured from a commercial vendor with their standard low-cost Sn HASL finish and with their standard ENIG surface finish. Both sets of sensors were then evaluated in concentrations of seawater and freshwater, from 0% to 100% seawater concentration, using freshwater samples from a natural freshwater source near the coast where the seawater was obtained. Testing demonstrated an insignificant difference in sensor performance between the Sn HASL and the ENIG coated sensing electrodes. The results of this investigation indicated that for applications where the sensors will not be used for long periods of time, the added expense of an immersion Au surface finish is not worth the added cost.

A Microfluidic Impedance Cytometer on Printed Circuit Board for Low Cost Diagnosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 2112-2117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhong Guo ◽  
Honggang Li ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Yuejun Kang
Keyword(s):  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Printed Circuit

scholarly journals Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Technology for Electrochemical Sensors and Sensing Platforms

Biosensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Hamed Shamkhalichenar ◽  
Collin J. Bueche ◽  
Jin-Woo Choi
Keyword(s):  
Printed Circuit Board ◽  
Electrochemical Sensors ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
Detection Capability ◽  
Printed Circuit ◽  
Sensing Platforms ◽  
Reliable Detection ◽  
Circuit Technology

The development of various biosensors has revolutionized the healthcare industry by providing rapid and reliable detection capability. Printed circuit board (PCB) technology has a well-established industry widely available around the world. In addition to electronics, this technology has been utilized to fabricate electrical parts, including electrodes for different biological and chemical sensors. High reproducibility achieved through long-lasting standard processes and low-cost resulting from an abundance of competitive manufacturing services makes this fabrication method a prime candidate for patterning electrodes and electrical parts of biosensors. The adoption of this approach in the fabrication of sensing platforms facilitates the integration of electronics and microfluidics with biosensors. In this review paper, the underlying principles and advances of printed board circuit technology are discussed. In addition, an overview of recent advancements in the development of PCB-based biosensors is provided. Finally, the challenges and outlook of PCB-based sensors are elaborated.

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