Papers by Author: W.I. Milne

Abstract: Highly compressively stressed diamond-like carbon and polymer films were used to fabricate normally closed microgrippers with diameters as small as 30~40μm. The microgrippers consisted of a DLC layer of 30-50nm, a thin Al layer of 40nm as a heater and an SU8 layer of 250~500nm, and were fabricated by a self-aligned two-mask process. Electrical tests and nonelectrical tests on a Peltier device confirmed the devices have an operation temperature of ~100°C for an opening angle of 90°, much lower than the ~400°C needed for previously fabricated Ni/DLC microgrippers. This value is consistent with finite element modelling and analytical calculation. The power needed to open the microgripper was only ~10 mW, less than half of those used for the previous Ni/DLC microgrippers. It has been successfully demonstrated that the microgrippers can be used to capture and confine micro-objects using microbeads for the tests.