Electrostatic chuck consisting of polymeric electrostatic inductive fibers for handling of objects with rough surfaces

Abstract

An electrostatic chuck (ESC) is a type of reversible dry adhesive which clamps objects by means of electrostatic force. Currently an ESC is used only for objects having flat surfaces because the attractive force is reduced for rough surfaces. An ESC that can handle objects with rough surfaces will expand its applications to MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) or optical parts handling. An ESC consisting of compliant electrostatic inductive fibers which conform to the profile of the surface has been proposed for such use. This paper aims at furthering previous research by observing the attractive force/pressure generated, both theoretically and experimentally, through step-by-step fabrication and analysis. Additionally, how the proposed fiber ESC behaves toward rough surfaces is also observed. The attractive force/pressure of the fiber ESC is theoretically investigated using a robust mechano-electrostatic model. Subsequently, a prototype of the fiber ESC consisting of ten fibers arranged at an angle is employed to experimentally observe its attractive force/pressure for objects with rough surfaces. The attractive force of the surface which is modeled as a sinusoidal wave with various amplitudes is observed, through which the feasibility of a fiber ESC is justified.