Electromagnetic micro-actuators, micro-motors, and micro-robots

Abstract

Due to the development of new technologies, more and more complex MEMS applications can be realized. Especially electromagnetic micro actuators have reached a growing interest in micro technology in addition to commercial applications during the last years. Their basic construction exists of electric conductors and coil systems as well as of soft-magnetic and/or hard-magnetic materials that were fabricated in additive technology via UV-depth lithography and electroplating. For UV-depth lithography, photo resists like Epon SU-8, AZ9260, Intervia-3D-N and CAR44 were applied and optimized. Layer thickness up to 1 mm and aspect ratios over 60 were achieved. Special micro composites were developed. This allowed the fabrication of micro magnets with arbitrary shape and properties, revealing a complete compatibility to existing process chains. With these potential technologies, several complex 3-D micro actuators like micro motors and micro robots were developed and successfully tested. These developments include in detail: linear and rotatory reluctance micro stepper motors with compensated attraction force as well as a special "Lorentz force actuator", which was used for micro robots and micro motors. The micro robots were deployed for assembling and for micro-/nano positioning. Furthermore "plunger coil actuators" were realized based on a voice coil principle, which were used e.g. for a micro switch or a micro mirror. Moreover, rotatory synchronous motors were developed and successfully tested. All these devices have been realized by outstanding fabrication technologies and can be used for a wide range of applications.