21 February 2007
In a recent article published in Nanotechnology, Shaoxin Lu and Balaji Panchapakesan, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, US, reported on the construction of carbon-nanotube-based micro-optomechanical systems(CNT-MOMS) that could impact MEMS applications. While most MEMS devices use electrical energy to cause actuation, devices based on nanotubes can be powered optically with superior performance and low power compared to their electrostatic MEMS counterparts. The researchers have developed a CMOS-compatible process based on thin carbon nanotube film transfer, patterning and plasma etching, which properly integrates carbon nanotube ensembles in the MEMS devices. A micromechanical gripper has been demonstrated as an example of the concept CNT-MOMS. Displacement of ∼24 μm was obtained from a gripper of 430 μm in length, comparable to that of electrical-driven counterparts, but only at a low optical power cost of ∼240 μW. These CNT-MOMS can be implemented to design smart systems with multiple functionalities while powered remotely by light. It could have applications in adaptive optics, remote manipulation, and robotics for space and sensor applications. Panchapakesan believes that nanotube MOMS could impact future MEMS and nano-applications as they offer out-of-plane actuation, batch fabrication, scalability, remote-controllability, low power requirement and low cost compared to their MEMS electrical counterparts.
In a recent article published in Nanotechnology, Shaoxin Lu and Balaji Panchapakesan, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, US, reported on the construction of carbon-nanotube-based micro-optomechanical systems(CNT-MOMS) that could impact MEMS applications. While most MEMS devices use electrical energy to cause actuation, devices based on nanotubes can be powered optically with superior performance and low power compared to their electrostatic MEMS counterparts. The researchers have developed a CMOS-compatible process based on thin carbon nanotube film transfer, patterning and plasma etching, which properly integrates carbon nanotube ensembles in the MEMS devices. A micromechanical gripper has been demonstrated as an example of the concept CNT-MOMS. Displacement of ∼24 μm was obtained from a gripper of 430 μm in length, comparable to that of electrical-driven counterparts, but only at a low optical power cost of ∼240 μW. These CNT-MOMS can be implemented to design smart systems with multiple functionalities while powered remotely by light. It could have applications in adaptive optics, remote manipulation, and robotics for space and sensor applications. Panchapakesan believes that nanotube MOMS could impact future MEMS and nano-applications as they offer out-of-plane actuation, batch fabrication, scalability, remote-controllability, low power requirement and low cost compared to their MEMS electrical counterparts.
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