High precision microactuators have become key elements for many applications of MEMS, for example for positioning and handling systems as well as for microfluidic devices. Electromagnetic microactuators exhibit considerable benefits such as high forces, large deflections, low input impedances and thus, the involvement of only low voltages. Most of the magnetic microactuators developed so far are based on the variable reluctance principle and use soft magnetic materials. Since the driving force of such actuators is proportional to their volume, they require structures with rather great heights and aspect ratios. Therefore, the development of new photo resists, which allow UV exposure of thick layers of resist, has been essential for the advancement of variable reluctance microactuators. On the other hand, hard magnetic materials have the potential for larger forces and larger deflections. Accordingly, polymer magnets, in which micro particles of hard magnetic material are suspended in a polymer matrix, have been used to fabricate permanent magnet microactuators. In this paper we give an overview of sophisticated electromagnetic microactuators which have been developed in our laboratory in the framework of the Collaborative Research Center “Design and Manufacturing of Active Microsystems”. In particular, concept, fabrication and test of variable reluctance micro stepper motors, of permanent magnet synchronous micromotors and of microactuators based on the Lorentz force principle will be described. Special emphasis will be given to applications in lab-on-chip systems.

Date Published: 17 May 2013
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 8763, Smart Sensors, Actuators, and MEMS VI, 87630R (17 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2018391

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8763:
Smart Sensors, Actuators, and MEMS VI
Ulrich Schmid; José Luis Sánchez de Rojas Aldavero; Monika Leester-Schaedel, Editor(s)