Drop ejection utilizing sideways actuation of a MEMS piston

A novel electrostatic sideways actuation drop dispenser (a sideshooter) is presented. The polysilicon Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) drop dispenser is surface micromachined using the SUMMiT™ fabrication process. The dispenser was used to eject satellite free 0.25 pl drops of aqueous solution at 10 m/s using an 80 V pulse 10 μs long. The dispenser enables multiple liquid, viscosity, and drop size, integrated ejection microsystems; useful for wet nano-fabrication.