Entwicklung von Mikroaktoren aus Formgedaechtnislegierungen

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have the fascinating property of shape recovery, which is associated with the generation of high energy densities. Nowadays, they are already used in several very successful applications. Within the last 10 years, SMA devices have entered also the field of microsystems technology. The present report gives an overview on the current state-of-the-art. For the examples of SMA microvalves and SMA linear actuators, the microactuator development is described from the idea to the prototype in comprehensive breadth. The breadth of research and development activities on SMA microactuators presently ranges from pure scientific topics of materials research to technological problems, e.g. of micromachining, integration and contacting. Further key aspects of development are three-dimensional models for the handling of complex SMA actuator geometries and coupled simulation routines in order to take multifunctional properties into account. For actuator design, mechanical and thermal optimization criteria are introduced, whose systematic implementation allows an optimum use of the shape memory effect. Some of the presented prototypes are already competitive components. One example are normally-open SMA microvalves driven by SMA foil actuators of 20 #mu#m thickness, which are counted among the smallest microvalves and which still are able to control pressures and flows comparable to other valve concepts. Due to their modular design they can be combined with other microfluidic components in a flexible way for realization of fluidic microsystems. Another example are SMA microgrippers, a further development of SMA linear actuators, which presently outperform other microgrippers of comparable size with respect to gripping force and stroke. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: ZA 5141(6718) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman