Coupling and Assembly Elements Using Microfabrication Technologies

The purpose of this paper is to presents the conception, achievements, measurement and data analysis regarding the connecting and the assembling of the components of a MEMS electromagnetic microactuator, cantilever type. The microactuator is composed of a fixed lower part on which was processed a flat coil and a mobile upper part that contains a cantilever and a permanent magnet or an array of permanent magnets. The two parts must be coupled and joined together. The purpose of the study is to realize the high precise coupling and fixing parts, to ensure a precisely relative positioning and high repeatability between parts position, using a simple and low cost technology. There were processed and analyzed six constructive shapes, male-female type, each one of them in two dimension types. The structures were made by UV laser photolithography, using SU8 3050 resist. The measurements were made using optical microscopy and white-light interferometry (optical profilometry). Dimensional measurements were performed for the coupled parts male-female type, also, the surface roughness was measured and the thickness uniformity of the structures. The conclusions establish the best choice of the constructive shapes for the connecting elements, according to a particular application.