Development of novel microactuators driven by lquid crystalline materials

We have developed novel microactuators which are driven by liquid crystalline (LC) materials. Because of their simple structure and the high shape adaptability of LC materials, LC actuators are able to be easily downsized and are appropriate for MEMS use [1,2]. Another advantage of LC actuators is the low-voltage drive (~10V) compared with other kinds of microactuators, such as piezoelectric actuators [3], electro-conjugate fluid actuators [4], and electrostatic actuators [5]. In this study, we introduce LC linear-motors and motors by showing their performances.