The concept of a large working stroke reluctance zipper actuator

Abstract:
In this work will be introduced a concept of a thin-film reluctance microactuator. The actuator consists of the planar actuating coil and the bent thin-film ferromagnetic yoke. In the idle state, the in-plane yoke is bent out-of-the-plane due to the interaction of internal stresses of its layers. The planar coil creates the magnetic field and the soft ferromagnetic core together with the yoke redirects it toward the working gap of the actuator. The reluctance force unrolls the thin film yoke thus reducing the reluctance of the magnetic circuit of the actuator. Such an actuator may enable the creation of various micro-optomechanical-systems.