Stiffness characterisation of microcantilevers based on conducting polymers

Gursel Alici; Michael J. Higgins

doi:10.1117/12.810649

30 December 2008 Stiffness characterisation of microcantilevers based on conducting polymers

Gursel Alici, Michael J. Higgins

Proceedings Volume 7268, Smart Structures, Devices, and Systems IV; 726806 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.810649
Event: SPIE Smart Materials, Nano- and Micro-Smart Systems, 2008, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

The object of this paper is to characterise the stiffness of microfabricated cantilevers consisting of two electroactive polymer (polypyrrole (PPy)) layers, and two gold layers with a negligible thickness and a layer of porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which serves as a backing layer and electrolyte storage tank. This composite cantilever structure is used as polymer actuators or famously known as artificial muscles when tailored appropriately. The polymer microactuators considered in this study, which were fabricated using a laser ablation technique, could operate both in aqueous and non-aqueous media. The stiffness characterization of the microactuators is critical to assess their suitability to numerous applications including the micromanipulation of living cells, bio-analytical nanosystems, datastorage, labon- chip, microvalve, microswitch, microshutter, cantilever light modulators, micro-optical instrumentation, artificial muscles for micro and macro robotic sytems and similar. The stiffness measurement method followed in this study is a static deflection measurement method, using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The stiffness constants of the microactuators while they were in passive (no electrochemical activation) and active (electrochemically activated) states were measured separately, and their statistical comparison was provided. The possible error sources for the stiffness measurement method are elaborated.

Citation Download Citation

Gursel Alici and Michael J. Higgins "Stiffness characterisation of microcantilevers based on conducting polymers", Proc. SPIE 7268, Smart Structures, Devices, and Systems IV, 726806 (30 December 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.810649

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available