A robust micro conveyer realized by arrayed polyimide joint actuators

• A new micromotion system (micro-conveyer) based on arrays of movable robustsilicon legs has been developed and investigated. The motion is achieved by thermal actuation of polyimide joint actuators using electrical heating. Successful experiments on moving flat objects in the millimeter range with high load capacity have been performed. The conveyerconsists of a15×5 mm2 chip with 12 silicon legs each 500 μm long. The maximum load conveyed on the structure was 2000 mg. Conveyance velocities up to 12 mm/s have been measured. Accelerated life-time measurements demonstrate the long-term stability of the actuators. The function of the polyimide joint actuators is unaffected after more than 2×108 load cycles.

Nyckelord

Electric heating

Microelectromechanical devices

Polyimides

Robustness (control systems)

Semiconducting silicon

Microconveyers

Polyimide joint actuators

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