Design and implementation of a bistable microcantilever actuator for magnetostatic latching relay
This paper presents the design, fabrication, and implementation of a microcantilever actuator with magnetostatic latching for performing low power bistable relay applications. This unique bistable feature consists of a low-stiffness torsion/cantilever beam system with circular-shaped support and a permanent magnet for holding the closed state with a permalloy soft magnetic circuit. The special circular support is designed to enhance the stiffness of the overhang beams. First, mechanical modeling of the leveraged torsion/cantilever beams was performed by Castiglianos theorem so as to deduce the spring stiffness of system. Then the device has been prepared by a laminated photoresist sacrificial layer process (LPSLP). Finally, mechanical performance was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), combined with finite element simulation using ANSYS package and analysis model as well. Switching between two stable states of the microactuator was successfully validated with WYKO NT1100 optical profiling system.
microcantilever actuator relay bistable mechanism magnetostatic laching mems