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Fabrication and Electromechanical Properties of Conductive Polymer Microbridge Actuators

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Guandong Zhang
Affiliation:
Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores - Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC-MN), Rua Alves Redol, 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal.
Joao Gaspar
Affiliation:
Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores - Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC-MN), Rua Alves Redol, 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal.
Virginia Chu
Affiliation:
Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores - Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC-MN), Rua Alves Redol, 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal.
Joao Pedro Conde
Affiliation:
Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores - Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC-MN), Rua Alves Redol, 9, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal. Department of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Portugal, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Abstract

This paper reports on the fabrication of novel all-polymer microbridge electrostatic actuators based on conductive polymers and using surface micromachining on glass substrates. The electromechanical properties of the microbridges are studied using electrostatic actuation and optical and electrical detection. The pull-in phenomena and a dependence of the bridge deflection with the square of the applied voltage are observed. Compared to the silicon-based microbridges, the polymer structures present higher deflection amplitude for the same applied electrical force. The resonance frequency of the polymer bridges occurs in the MHz range and with quality factors of the order of 100 when measured in vacuum. The mechanical properties of the polymer device are affected by the residual stresses.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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