Development of a New Class of Thermal Transducers Through Phase-Change Materials

该计划的目标是通过在微机电结构中成功集成二氧化钒薄膜来实现新的微致动技术。为了展示新技术的优势，将开发特定的基于二氧化钒的设备;包括单片集成的可编程微致动器，能够施加远远超出当前技术理论极限的可重复力，以及微米级仿生鳍。智力价值是一种新技术的发展，将创造一个不同的方法为微致动，并建立在该领域的新范式。将使用的基本机制依赖于在二氧化钒薄膜的固体到固体结构相变期间发生的大的应力变化。初步结果表明，待开发的器件将能够更大的应变能密度，更高的可逆性和可重复性，提高开关速度，并由于在相变过程中的强耦合机制的二氧化钒增强多功能性。更广泛的影响是通过将最近观察到的基本现象转化为微致动器的新操作原理来改变热传感器领域，并了解如何在相关领域中最好地利用这种新技术，如微型机器人，手术，操纵和能量收集。 推广活动包括向来访的大学预科学生进行实验演示，他们将有机会操纵微米大小的物体。该方案将把代表性不足的群体纳入计划的研究和教育活动。

The objective of this program is to enable a new micro-actuation technology through the successful integration of vanadium dioxide thin films in micro-electro-mechanical structures. To demonstrate the advantages of the new technology, specific vanadium dioxide-based devices will be developed; including monolithically integrated programmable micro-actuators capable of exerting repeatable forces well beyond the theoretical limits of current technologies, and micrometer-sized biomimetic fins. The intellectual merit is the development of a new technology that will create a different approach for micro-actuation and establish new paradigms in the field. The fundamental mechanism that will be used relies on the large stress changes that occur during the solid-to-solid- structural phase transition of vanadium dioxide thin films. Preliminary results show that the devices to be developed will be capable of larger strain energy densities, higher reversibility and repeatability, increased switching speeds, and due to the strongly coupled mechanisms during the phase-change of vanadium dioxide enhanced multifunctionality. The broader impacts are to transform the field of thermal transducers by translating a recently observed fundamental phenomenon into a new operating principle for micro-actuators, and to understand how to make the best use of this new technology in related fields such as micro-robotics, -surgery, - manipulation, and energy harvesting. The outreach activities include experimental demonstrations to visiting pre-college students, who will have the opportunity to manipulate micro meter-sized objects. The program will integrate underrepresented groups in the planned research and educational activities.