Micro-Hydraulics Employing Non-Wetting Fluids

Abstract

Hydraulic actuation is a mature technology that is widely used in a variety of applications in the macroscopic world. Its use in miniaturized devices such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), however, is just beginning to be exploited. This lag in development of micro-hydraulics results from the fact that it is not easy to construct miniaturized analogs of macroscopic hydraulic system using traditional MEMS fabrication techniques, such as photolithography. Tight-clearance pistons that do not allow bypass flow are difficult to fabricate in micro-devices. Fortunately, the very fact that MEMS devices are so tiny enables a very different kind of hydraulic technology to be utilized. It is based on surface-related phenomena associated with flows of non-wetting fluids in micro-channels.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 26, 2000
Accession Number
ADA408081

Entities

People

  • P. Wapner
  • W. Hoffman

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Contracts
  • Data Rights
  • Department Of Defense
  • Export Controls
  • Fabrication
  • Fluids
  • Hydraulic Cylinders
  • Hydraulic Fluids
  • Hydraulics
  • Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Microvessels
  • Military Research
  • Potential Energy
  • Sensitivity

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems