SGER: NanoGate - A New Micromechanical Mechanism for Valves and Relays

这项探索性研究（SGER）项目将探索纳米门的设计概念和制造策略，考虑力学、摩擦学和驱动，并将构建用作继电器和流体阀的纳米门原型。这一尝试是创造一种新的微型机械元件，它将应用于从流体阀到电力继电器的各种设备中。纳米门的基本前提是，一个连续的梁，在其尖端施加一个力，并对位于尖端和底部之间的铁砧弯曲，可以在梁中产生所需的形状，而与梁的厚度无关。这使得光束起到传输的作用：当尖端在砧和底座之间偏转10微米时，光束可能偏转10埃。类似地，在梁和铁砧之间可以产生间隙（打开）或高力（关闭）。这一原理在流体系统中的应用将使研究人员能够创造纳米级的间隙，并在基本的新尺度上研究流体的行为。这项研究应该能够完全确定与这种新设备相关的问题。纳米门元件可能有许多系统应用。例如，纳米门可以用来测定纳米颗粒的大小。作为一种流体阀，纳米门可以使用弹性板的抛光上表面来打开和关闭闸门流室。

This Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project will explore design concepts and manufacturing strategies for the NanoGate considering mechanics, tribology, and actuation, and will build prototype NanoGates used to act as relays and as fluid valves. The attempt is to create a new micro mechanical element that will have application in devices from fluid valves to electric power relays. The fundamental premise of the NanoGate is that a contilevered beam with a force applied to its tip and bent against an anvil located between the tip and the base can create a desired shape in the beam, independent of the beam thickness. This enables the beam to act as a transmission: when the tip is deflected 10 microns between the anvil and the base, the beam may deflect 10 angstroms. Similarly, a gap (open) or high force (closed) can be created between the beam and the anvil. Applications of this principle in fluid systems would enable researchers to create nanometer gaps and study the behavior of fluids at fundamental new scales. The research should enable complete indentification of the issues associated with this new device. There may be many system applications for the NanoGate element. For example, the NanoGate could be used to size nano particles. As a fluid valve, the NanoGate could use the polished top surface of a resilient plate to open and close off chambers to gate flow.