access icon free Electrostatically driven magnetic field micromodulator with continuous modulating angle and large shifting range

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 15/05/2013, Accepted 24/06/2013, Published

Presented is a novel magnetic field modulator made up of permanent magnets, and having a torsional electrostatically driven structure, which was fabricated by electrodeposition and released by KOH solution wet etching. The magnetic properties of the electrodeposited CoNiMnP micromagnets and the torsional angle with respect to the driving voltage of the microdevice have been measured, and the modulation of the magnetic field has been demonstrated. The low power consumption micromodulator, which can achieve a continuous torsional angle of 0°–18° and a pull-in angle of 54.7°, has its own advantage over the traditional magnetic field modulating devices. The novel modulator has not only provided a more effective approach for magnetic field modulation, but also offered a torsional carrier actuator to be integrated with various functional materials or components in many applications.

Inspec keywords: modulators; phosphorus alloys; magnetic fields; permanent magnets; nickel alloys; etching; manganese alloys; micromagnetics; cobalt alloys; micromechanical devices; electrodeposition

Other keywords: power consumption micromodulator; traditional magnetic field modulating devices; magnetic field modulator; shifting range; pull-in angle; driving voltage; microdevice; continuous modulating angle; magnetic properties; electrodeposition; torsional carrier actuator; CoNiMnP; KOH solution wet etching; torsional angle; functional materials; torsional electrostatically driven structure; electrostatically driven magnetic field micromodulator; electrodeposited CoNiMnP micromagnets; permanent magnets

Subjects: General fabrication techniques; Micromechanical and nanomechanical devices and systems; Fabrication of MEMS and NEMS devices; Surface treatment (semiconductor technology); Magnetic instruments and techniques; Permanent magnets; Modulators, demodulators, discriminators and mixers

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