Wavelength-Selective Shape Memory Alloy for Wireless Microactuation of a Bistable Curved Beam

• Published in: IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982) 2011-12, Vol.58 (12), p.5288-5295
• Main Authors: Zaidi, S., Lamarque, F., Favergeon, J., Carton, O., Prelle, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bistable curved beam; Computer simulation; Curved beams; Diode lasers; Engineering Sciences; Filtering; Foils; Force measurement; Force sensors; laser actuation; Martensitic transformations; Mathematical models; Mechatronics; Micro and nanotechnologies; microactuator; Microelectronics; Numerical models; Prototypes; Rapid prototyping; shape memory alloy (SMA); Shape memory alloys; Studies; wavelength-selective response; Wireless sensor networks
• ISSN: 0278-0046; 1557-9948
• DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2010.2046609

Wireless and/or sensorless components offer a great potential for friendly integration in mechatronic systems. This paper presents a wireless technique to actuate a bistable curved beam using wavelength-selective shape-memory-alloy (SMA) thin foils. The SMA thin foil is irradiated remotely by continuous-mode laser diodes of 785 and 658 nm wavelengths. First, a comparison between two numerical thermal models is done. These models obey the same conduction and convection equations but the effect of phase transformation is integrated in two different ways. A good agreement is found between the two simulation results. Then, the force generated by the SMA sample (size: 3 mm × 1 mm × 0.1 mm), during martensite-to-austenite phase transformation, is experimentally measured using a miniature force sensor. The force comes out to be 403 mN with 70 mW laser power. Using this force value, a bistable curved beam is designed and fabricated by rapid prototyping technique. Optical filtering layers, which are responsible for the wavelength-selective response, are directly deposited onto the SMA samples. Finally, two SMA samples are used to switch the curved beam between its two stable positions.