Design, fabrication and characterization of a microactuator for nebulization of fluids

The nebulization of fluids plays an important role in the medical treatment of several diseases. The most important aspect of the nebulization of medicaments is the diameter of the generated droplets. Only aerosols with an droplet diameter of several micrometers reach and become absorbed by the lungs. Several principles for generating aerosols are known, e.g. ultrasonic methods, forcing fluids through small nozzles etc., that result in different distributions of the droplet diameter. Previous studies showed that ideal distribution is achieved by the formation of surface waves on thin fluid films. The nebulization effect is based on the cappilary wave theory. The waves can be generated by oscillating a fluid covered membrane using piezoelectric actuation. Small droplet diameters can be achived using high frequencies.