Bistable microactuator with coupled membranes
AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorsHans Joachim Quenzer, Bernd Wagner
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Abstract
A bistable electrostatic actuator with pneumatic or liquid coupling. The actuator has enclosed metallic electrodes. It can be used for a microvalve or micropump. The actuator has buckled membrane sections in pairs and curved substrate electrodes, locally associated with said membrane sections.
Claims15
Electrostatic membrane actuator for one of a microvalve and a micropump, comprising at least one pair of membrane sections, at least one pair of substrate electrodes locally associated with said membrane sections, said membrane sections enclosing said electrodes to define cavities linked by a linking channel, wherein the membrane sections have at least one layer on each membrane section for providing an intrinsic compressive stress to said sections wherein said sections are operable to buckle out and back between two stable operating points.
Method for manufacturing a membrane for an electrostatic membrane actuator, having at least two oppositely buckling membrane sections comprising:
- providing a stress-free flat carrier having a first substrate with a layer of insulator on one side, for providing intrinsic stress to the carrier;
- bonding the flat carrier with the insulating layer downwards to a second substrate;
- removing at least the first substrate of the flat carrier until the intrinsic stress providing layer buckles out at least one of the membrane sections.
A membrane for an electrostatic membrane actuator, having at least two oppositely buckling membrane sections, prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
- providing a stress-free flat carrier having a first substrate with a layer of insulator on one side, for providing intrinsic stress to the carrier;
- bonding the flat carrier with the insulating layer downwards to a second substrate;
- removing at least the first substrate of the flat carrier until the intrinsic stress providing layer buckles out at least one of the membrane sections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.