We propose a method of achieving large temperature T sensitivity in the Casimir force that involves measuring the stable separation between dielectric objects immersed in a fluid. We study the Casimir force between slabs and spheres using realistic material models, and find large >2  nm/K variations in their stable separations (hundreds of nanometers) near room temperature. In addition, we anal...

The assembly of released parts of microsystems is the last, but a very crucial, step that often requires tradeoffs in the yield and performance of the whole system. Various applications with different concerns have triggered some of the assembly methods today available. Methods that make use of surface tension forces [1], magnetic forces [2], centrifugal forces [3], on chip actuators and roboti...

Over the last few years, considerable effort has gone into the study of the failure mechanisms and reliability of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Although still very incomplete, our knowledge of the reliability issues relevant to MEMS is growing. This paper provides an overview of MEMS failure mechanisms that are commonly encountered. It focuses on the reliability issues of micro-scale d...

This paper presents a real time implementation of a sliding mode controller (SMC) for the underactuated BERUL fingers. The use of SMC is to deal with the inaccuracies and unmodelled nonlinearities in the dynamic model of the robotic fingers, in particular, to overcome significant friction and stiction. This paper in particular shows a practical implementation of Cartesian space control for the ...

J.G. Kushmerick a, M.G. Hankins b, M.P. de Boer c, P.J. Clews b, R.W. Carpick a,∗ and B.C. Bunker a a Biomolecular Materials and Interfaces 1140, MS 1413, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA b MDL Operations 1746, MS 1084, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA c Intelligent Micromachining 1749, MS 1080, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185,...

Stiction, run-in wear and friction of lubricated polyoxymethylene homopolymer (POM)- aliphatic polyamide (PA46)-steel tribosystems were investigated for mild-loaded mixed lubrication conditions with without thermal conditioning the polymers in lubricant prior to testing. Macroscopic oscillatory tribometry standard gliding experiments carried out. The hypothesis that sorption a into thermoplasti...