ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ACTUATED GAS DIVERTING VALVE USING LTCC TAPE NSF Summer Undergraduate Fellowships in Sensor Technology

This research attempted to fabricate a gas-diverting valve using LTCC technology for the emerging field of meso-scale devices. A photolithographic process for patterning Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic (LTCC) tapes utilizing DuPont Green Tape tape coupled with DuPont Riston 9015, a dry photoresist, is described in detail. Based on the device design, calculations determining the theoretical resistance and magnetic flux were made. These numbers will determine the voltage necessary to run the device once built. Although the device was not constructed since the resolution of the dry photoresist system was being pushed led to difficulty in etching the tape, lamination and development techniques of the Riston were perfected, and insights into the composition of the tape prior to and after etching were made. Suggestions for improvements in the process are given, as well as thoughts on what should be the next step in this research.