Magnetostrictive thin film actuator as drive for miniaturised valve, bending element, or pump

摘要

The actuator has a drive element which uses Terfenol (RTM) TbxDY1-xFe2 material. The serpentine conductor on a substrate (3) of the actuator is coated (1) such as with Terfenol (RTM) in a layer of only a few micrometres thick. The coating, with electrical connections, acts as a coil, for a magnetic field to be produced externally at a closely adjacent conductive layer (2), and an inner magnetic field through the magnetostrictive material (1) for actuation uses.