Design and Fabrication of Ceramic Microsystem Utilizing Glow Discharge for Analysis of Liquid Mixtures

Abstract We present the results of our work on design and fabrication of Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) Electrolyte as a Cathode Discharge (ELCAD) chip. It consists of plasma chamber filled with working gas (for instance helium). The fluidic channel with sample is placed below the chamber. Discharge ignites between anode and electrolyte cathode through aperture between microfluidic channel and plasma chamber. To avoid filling the chamber with fluid, channel and waste outlet should have proper geometry. We have checked our design and fabricated prototypes in DuPont system. External electrodes have been screen-printed using solderable PdAg paste. Inner electrodes, responsible for plasma creation, were made of platinum. To avoid sagging of structures we have used Sacrificial Volume Materials (SVM) and conducted multistep lamination with modified parameters. Finally, we tested if our device works properly. Firstly, we created discharge using high voltage alternating current source in air and observe...