Non-Linear Fluidic Integrated Circuits Realized by Pneumatic-Field Effect Transistors with Controllable Output Resistance

This paper reports `non-linear' micro fluidic integrated circuit technology using newly developed vertical microvalve, Pneumatic-Field Effect Transistor (Pneumatic-FET) with controllability of its output resistance. In addition to the basic linear amplifiers of pressures obtained by positive output resistance of pneumatic-FET, the negative output resistance is attractive to realize non-linear functions in the smallest number of FETs. In this study, we have succeeded to fabricate `non-linear' fluidic circuits with hysteresis or kinked transfer function utilizing negative output resistance of vertical pneumatic-FET for the first time. The novel device structure and the simple fabrication technology for controllable output resistance, and characteristics of the pneumatic integrated circuits are demonstrated.