A MICROFABRICATED COLUMN COMPRISED OF HIGH-ASPECT-RATIO SILICON PILLAR ARRAYS FOR MICRO-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY

Abstract

This study introduces the fabrication and application of a micro-pillar array using MEMS processes to improve the performance of a crucial component, the separation column, within mu-GC systems. These micro-pillars, measuring approximately 2 mu m in diameter and 130 mu m in height, were densely packed at a density of around 9000 rods/mm(2) onto the separation column. The substitution of the conventional rectangular-shaped column with pillar arrays resulted in an approximate 40% increase in resolution under identical pressure and oven temperature conditions (0.969psi, 40 degrees C). These findings mark a significant advancement in mu-GC technology, potentially enabling chip size reduction, reduced power consumption, and minimized packaging volume.