Enhancing Microrobot Manipulation in MEMSDevices Through Tailored Polydimethylsiloxane: an Numerical and experimental Analaysis

Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology has emerged as a powerful tool for precise microrobot manipulation in biomedical and microfluidic applications. However, optimizing SAW device performance remains a challenge due to material limitations. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), widely used in SAW devices for its biocompatibility and flexibility, can be modified to enhance acoustic wave propagation and control microrobot movement. This study systematically investigates how altering the PDMS base-to-curing-agent ratios affects the acoustic properties of SAW devices, leading to improved manipulation efficiency over existing methods. Our experimental results demonstrate that specific PDMS formulations significantly enhance microrobot control, enabling unique manipulation patterns not achievable with standard approaches. By analyzing acoustic impedance and wave damping across various formulations (2:1, 5:1, 10:1, and 20:1), we determine optimal conditions for manipulation. These insights provide a superior alternative to current techniques, with implications for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and microfluidic systems where rapid and precise microrobot control is crucial. Furthermore, we show how these modifications can reduce MEMS settling time, essential for responsive system design, outperforming existing solutions.