Abstract
Micro slide valves with glass/silicon/glass three-layered structures were fabricated using MEMS technologies. A part of the silicon layer, in which microchannels connecting the top and bottom sides were fabricated, could be slid to switch flow path between microchannels in the two glass layers. In order to suppress leakage, hydrophobic plating technique was applied to the surface of the sliding valves. The valves were tested under pressure of between 0 and 200 kPa. With the hydrophobic Ni plating, water leakage was reduced to 1/50 of that with the non-coated valve. © 2006 Society for Chemistry and Micro-Nano Systems.