An Electrothermal Microcage based on Al-SiO₂Bimorph Actuators

The crucial parameters for microcages to realize controllable capture manipulations include the deformation capability, driving voltages, and power consumption. In this paper, a novel electrothermal microcage based on Al-SiO2 bimorph electrothermal actuators is proposed. Residual stresses in the bimorph actuators ensure that no power is consumed when the actuator remains in the closed state after capturing an object. In addition, all of the bimorph actuators in this microcage can be driven individually or simultaneously to achieve efficient capture by adapting to the target objects with complex shapes and different sizes. Experiments show that the actuators can achieve over 100° bending at only 5 Vdc with a power consumption of about 45 mW. This device has strong potential in the sampling and manipulation of microscopic objects, such as biomimetic applications.