Fully Batch Fabricated Magnetic Microactuators Using A Two Layer Liga Process

Abstract
Full batch fabrication and successful testing of electromagnetic linear actuators is demonstrated. The fabrication uses a 5 mask process that combines two deep x-ray lithography layers and 3 optical lithography layers. Material magnetic properties have been investigated and the relative permeability of nickel was found to be 12 while that of nickel/iron permalloy was 400. Design rules are derived for the case of a microrelay where large forces at small gaps are required. Switching of relays was observed at 1.4 A for a relay made out of nickel and at 45 mA for one of permalloy. Particularly for permalloy, the contact forces at 1A are well beyond those of miniaturised relays.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: