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Objectives.

The goal of this research is to enable autonomous locomotion at the micro-scale. To achieve this with existing microfabrication technologies, we are investigating the development of scratch drive actuators that can operate in an untethered fashion. We are fabricating these devices using the MUMPS (Multi-User MEMS Process) fabrication process from Cronos Integrated Microsystems (formerly MCNC).

Our untethered scratch drives comprise two novel systems that are currently under development. The first is a capacitive power couple for delivering power to devices that are not physically wired to the substrate. This will allow the devices to locomote in an untethered fashion. The second novel system in our untethered scratch drives is the self-release mechanism by which our devices cut their ties with the fabrication substrate.

In order to fabricate these devices, we need a layer of insulation between two layers of conductive silicon. The MUMPS process does not provide an insulating layer that will work in this regard. So, we are developing ways of post-processing MUMPS devices so as to introduce an intermediate layer of insulation after the fact.


next up previous contents
Next: Technical Review - Scratch Up: Untethered Scratch Drive Actuators Previous: Untethered Scratch Drive Actuators   Contents
Last modified: 2005-04-06