Micro-Ball Bearing Technology for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

用于微机电系统 (MEMS) 的微滚珠轴承技术

• 批准号: 0224361
• 负责人: Reza Ghodssi
• 金额: $ 27万
• 依托单位: University of Maryland, College Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-09-15 至 2006-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0224361&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Micro; Ball; Bearing; Technology; Electro

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are not yet reliable and efficient enough for electrical and mechanical power demands in Microsystems. Ball bearing mechanisms are expected to increase long-term reliability and efficiency in micro-machines through minimizing friction and wear, and to provide robustness and stability for moving parts while avoiding fabrication complexities. Therefore, "micro-ball bearing technology" is expected to have a pivotal impact on micro-machinery applications such as micro-generators, micro-pumps, and micro-coolers.Our research program investigates the use of micro-ball bearing technology for MEMS and micro-machinery applications. This goal is addressed by developing a MEMS-based electrostatically actuated micro-motor integrated with silicon micromachined bearings which house stainless-steel micro-balls as support mechanism between rotor and stator. The micro-motor is based on a novel scheme as a 6-phase, bottom-drive linear variable-capacitance micro-motor supported on micro-ball bearings. The proposed research activity focuses on (1) design, modeling, and dynamic simulation to realize an optimized structure and geometry for the device, (2) technology development to improve precision fabrication in conventional processing methods while minimizing stress-inducing processes and carefully characterizing each unit step, and (3) long-term reliability study to investigate (i) the operation of the electrical components, such as the electrical rotor and stator under controlled environment, and (ii) the dynamic behavior of the micro-ball bearings and their effect on the performance of the device. The educational objectives in this program are based on an interactive learning environment structured to incorporate research objectives into both undergraduate and graduate level courses in MEMS and Microsystems at the University of Maryland.

微机电系统 (MEMS) 的可靠性和效率还不足以满足微系统中的电气和机械功率需求。滚珠轴承机构有望通过最大限度地减少摩擦和磨损来提高微型机器的长期可靠性和效率，并为运动部件提供坚固性和稳定性，同时避免制造复杂性。因此，“微型滚珠轴承技术”有望对微型发电机、微型泵和微型冷却器等微型机械应用产生举足轻重的影响。我们的研究计划研究了微型滚珠轴承技术在MEMS中的应用和微型机械应用。这一目标是通过开发一种基于 MEMS 的静电驱动微电机来实现的，该电机与硅微机械轴承集成，该轴承装有不锈钢微球作为转子和定子之间的支撑机构。该微型电机基于一种新颖的方案，即由微型滚珠轴承支撑的六相底部驱动线性可变电容微型电机。拟议的研究活动侧重于（1）设计、建模和动态仿真，以实现器件的优化结构和几何形状，（2）技术开发，以提高传统加工方法中的制造精度，同时最大限度地减少应力诱发过程并仔细表征每个过程单元步骤，以及（3）长期可靠性研究，以研究（i）电气元件的运行，例如受控环境下的电气转子和定子，以及（ii）微型滚珠轴承及其轴承的动态行为对设备性能的影响。该计划的教育目标基于交互式学习环境，该环境旨在将研究目标纳入马里兰大学 MEMS 和微系统的本科和研究生课程。