Patent ID: 8857020

Claim:
A method for forming an actuator, comprising: depositing a photoimageable material to form a first photoimageable layer on a first surface of a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer having a second surface in contact with a common electrode, the second surface being on a side of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the first surface and facing a first substrate containing pumping chambers, the common electrode having a surface area covering more than one of the pumping chambers; patterning the first photoimageable layer to form a plurality of apertures exposing parts of the first surface of the piezoelectric layer; disposing a first conductive layer on the first photoimageable layer, wherein the first conductive layer partially overlies the first photoimageable layer such that a first portion of the first conductive layer contacts the first photoimageable layer and a plurality of second portions of the first conductive layer electrically contact the piezoelectric layer in the plurality of apertures, and wherein each of the plurality of second portions of the first conductive layer each form a plurality of electrodes; and patterning the first portion of the first conductive layer to form a plurality of conductive traces on the first photoimageable layer, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically separated from the other of the plurality of electrodes, and each of the plurality of conductive traces is electrically separated from the other of the plurality of conductive traces and is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes to individually control the corresponding one of the plurality of electrodes.