Development of Fully-Integrated Micromagnetic Actuator Technologies

The primary objective of this research was to transition high-performance micromagnets into fully-integrated, batch-fabricated micromagnetic actuators for Army-specified applications, such as microscale flow-control actuators. Magnetically-based electromechanical actuation schemes are ubiquitous in macroscale systems such as audio speakers, relays, solenoids, and electrical motors. However, implementation of these transduction schemes at the microscale is nearly nonexistent because of certain design and fabrication challenges primarily the inability to integrate high-performance, permanent-magnet magnetically-hard films within more complex micromachined structures. As a consequence, most microfabricated transducers rely on other transduction mechanisms e.g. electrostatic, piezoelectric, thermoelastic. However, these mechanisms limit the actuation force, stroke displacement, power density, and efficiency necessary for certain applications. To enable the development of high-performance magnetic actuator technologies, the original research plan was organized into three specific technical objectives