Mesh type atomizer using porous thin film and method for manufacturing the same
A mesh type atomizer according to an embodiment includes a porous thin film having a multi-hole structure, a metal layer covering a remaining area except a nozzle area in which droplets are sprayed through the holes on a surface of the porous thin film, and an ultrasonic transducer to output ultrasonic waves to vibrate the porous thin film. According to an embodiment, it is possible to atomize a liquid into nanometer-level fine particles using the porous thin film including nanometer sized holes. It is possible to precisely adjust the sprayed droplet size by setting the shape, size and cycle of the nozzle in the manufacturing process, and it is possible to selectively increase the strength of the mesh by growing the metal material in the hole of the porous thin film through electroplating.
1 . A mesh type atomizer, comprising:
a porous thin film having a multi-hole structure and comprising a nozzle area and a remaining area outside of the nozzle area, the porous thin film having a plurality of holes in the nozzle area and the remaining area, the nozzle area being an area of the porous thin film where droplets are sprayed through the holes;
a metal layer covering the remaining area on a surface of the porous thin film and not covering the nozzle area; and
an ultrasonic transducer to output ultrasonic waves to vibrate the porous thin film,
wherein at least some of the holes in the remaining area are filled with a metal material grown in the holes through electroplating.
2 . The mesh type atomizer according to claim 1 , wherein all of the holes in the remaining area are filled with the metal material.
3 . The mesh type atomizer according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the holes of the porous thin film has a diameter between a few nanometers and a few micrometers.
4 . The mesh type atomizer according to claim 3 , wherein the porous thin film is anodic aluminum oxide.
5 . The mesh type atomizer according to claim 1 , wherein the nozzle area includes at least one hole, and the droplets sprayed through the nozzle area have a diameter between a few nanometers and a few micrometers.
6 . The mesh type atomizer according to claim 5 ,
wherein a distance between the nozzle area and an adjacent nozzle area is set to prevent the droplets sprayed in each nozzle area from merging.
7 . The mesh type atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the metal material extends only partially through the holes of the remaining area.
8 . The mesh type atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the metal material extends through an entirety of the holes of the remaining area.
9 . The mesh type atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic transducer is a ring-type ultrasonic transducer that surrounds an entirety of the porous thin film.