LIGA components for the construction of milliactuators

The demand for miniaturized commercial products like motors, pumps or active catheters presently concentrates on millimeter sized devices which offer sufficient forces or torques for a number of applications in medical technology, data technology as well as consumer electronics. These "milliactuators" form the link between microactuators and conventionally fabricated high precision devices. They still allow mechanical interfaces to macroscopic systems. Since actuator drive principles require appropriate materials to meet specific actuator functions, monolithic techniques are hard to apply although the high precision demands for some critical elements inevitably call for microfabrication methods. The LIGA technique, however, offers a large variety of materials to fabricate components with submicron tolerances. These individual components made from function adapted materials are combined with high precision elements in a microassembly process for the construction of milliactuators.<>