Electrostricitive P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer-based high-performance micromachined unimorph actuators

Tian-Bing Xu; Zhong-Yang Cheng; Haisheng Xu; Weicheng Chen; Kenji Uchino; Qi Ming Zhang

doi:10.1117/12.432637

16 July 2001 Electrostricitive P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer-based high-performance micromachined unimorph actuators

Tian-Bing Xu, Zhong-Yang Cheng, Haisheng Xu, Weicheng Chen, Kenji Uchino, Qi Ming Zhang

Proceedings Volume 4329, Smart Structures and Materials 2001: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.432637
Event: SPIE's 8th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 2001, Newport Beach, CA, United States

Abstract

Micromachined unimorph actuators based on the electrostrictive P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer have been fabricated. The performance of the devices has been modeled and characterized. The experimental results on the device responses are very close to the prediction of the model, indicating a high actuator displacement and voltage sensitivity. For a typical unimorph device with 1 mm length, the displacement at the center of the device can reach 30 micrometers , and the ratio of the displacement/applied voltage is more than 30nm/V. Furthermore, over more than 3 frequency decades, the dispersion of the displacement is less than 20%, which indicates the high frequency capability of this polymer based MEMS. To demonstrate the high force capability of the device, the displacement response of the device was evaluated at 200 Hz ina fluid medium and there is no observable change in the displacement response in fluid medium when compared with that measured in air. Due to the large field induced electrostrictive strain and high frequency capability of the electrostrictive P(VDF-TfFE), the device is capable of operating at no-resonance model with high displacement and force output, and over a broad frequency range (DC to >10 kHz). The observed performance of the device indicates that this type of electrostrictive P(VDF-TrFE) based MEMS is attractive for micro-pump, values, and air coupled ultrasonic transducer array, etc.

Citation Download Citation

Tian-Bing Xu, Zhong-Yang Cheng, Haisheng Xu, Weicheng Chen, Kenji Uchino, and Qi Ming Zhang "Electrostricitive P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer-based high-performance micromachined unimorph actuators", Proc. SPIE 4329, Smart Structures and Materials 2001: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices, (16 July 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.432637

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