MEMS-fabricated ICPF grippers for aqueous applications

This paper presents the results of our ongoing investigation of using Nafion solution to construct micron scale actuators as grippers for underwater manipulation. We have demonstrated MEMS-based fabrication of cantilever structures composed of Au/Nafion/Au film layers on silicon substrates is possible. The smallest actuators fabricated were 30 /spl mu/m wide, 300 /spl mu/m long and 0.4 /spl mu/m thick. We have shown that 2-finger actuators (each 100 /spl mu/m wide, 1200 /spl mu/m long and 0.4 /spl mu/m thick) could be fully actuated in water at /spl sim/7 V DC. In addition, we have found that micro Au/Nafion/Au cantilevers can respond to pH level changes in a solution environment, suggesting that they could potentially be used as biological sensors.