Nichrome micro-heaters as actuators for microfluidic sensors

MEMS actuators are currently widely used in the industry. Micro-heaters, being a prime example, attracted much attention in recent years due to their good operating parameters and low cost fabrication process. This paper focuses on a design and development of a micro-heater to be used as an actuator in a multiparametric capillary sensor. The micro-heater is an evolution of a previous design and uses a 200nm-thick thin film of 80/20 NiCr alloy as a heating layer. The paper presents results of fabrication and testing of the micro-heater, including temperature distribution and resistance changes during the heating cycle. Additionally, is presented a PWM based control system providing the stability of power and temperature distribution.