Abstract
Microactuators have become essential elements of microelectromechanical systems, for example, for positioning purposes and for fluid-handling tasks in microfluidic systems. UV depth lithography and other new micromachining technologies, which have been developed since the 1990s, have initiated extensive investigations of electromagnetic microactuators, which are characterized by high forces, large deflections, low driving voltages resulting from low input impedances and robustness under harsh environments. This paper reviews the comprehensive research on the design, fabrication and application of electromagnetic micromotors performed in our laboratory over the past years.
Highlights
In conventional macro-scale machines linear and rotary motion, which is a characteristic feature of all machines, is most often generated by using electromagnetic actuation principles
On the micro-scale, since the 1980s initial investigations centered on electrostatic micromotors due to the fact that all processes for the fabrication of such devices were available from microelectronics technology [1,2]
The normal forces are much larger than the tangential forces, which cause a linear or rotatory movement. This aspect needs to be handled carefully in the design of variable reluctance micromotors, because VR-motor concepts with a single gap suffer from high additional friction caused by the drive itself [17]
Summary
In conventional macro-scale machines linear and rotary motion, which is a characteristic feature of all machines, is most often generated by using electromagnetic actuation principles. Further performance advantages are low driving voltages resulting from low input impedances and robustness under harsh environments It has been shown, that the use of integrated permanent magnets can generate additional potential for efficient magnetic microactuators. Substantial technological challenges hampered a rapid development of electromagnetic micromotors Key components of such devices are three-dimensional microcoils and complex hard and soft magnetic microstructures, which correspond to wound coils and magnets in bulk actuators. With the advent of these resists a new technology for fabricating high aspect ratio microstructures has emerged, the so-called UV depth lithography or UV-LIGA method This technique has been used to develop a variety of magnetic microactuators, such as, for example, scanning mirrors [13] and relays [14].
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