Fluid handling – Flow affected by fluid contact – energy field or coanda effect – Means to regulate or vary operation of device
Patent
1994-12-20
1996-12-31
Michalsky, Gerald A.
Fluid handling
Flow affected by fluid contact, energy field or coanda effect
Means to regulate or vary operation of device
137833, 25112906, 335215, F16K 3102, F15C 500
Patent
active
055884660
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a magnetostrictive transducer.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A magnetostrictive transducer is described in the corporate literature of Edge Technologies, Inc. entitled "Application Manual for the Design of Extreme Terfenol Magnetostrictive Transducers," which features a coil traversed by current and a terbium-dysprosium-iron alloy rod arranged therein. Furthermore, a microvalve is described in German Patent Application No. 40 03 619, wherein a fluid jet can be directed into one of two outlet channels using a flexible plate arranged parallel to the incoming fluid jet. The elastic plate is thermomechanically driven. Furthermore, a microvalve is described in German Patent Application No. 39 19 876, wherein a sealing block suspended by piezoelectrically driven flexible plates can close an outlet. Deposition of thin metal layers from a metal vapor is described, for example, in a book by Sze, VLSI Technology, McGraw-Hill International, pp. 347-367.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The magnetostrictive transducer according to the present invention has the advantage over the prior art in that the thin layers are also suited as drivers for very small transducers. By using flexible elements, very large deflections can be achieved. Furthermore, with the thin magnetostrictive layers very high forces can be produced in relation to their size. Furthermore, it can be regarded as an advantage that the thin magnetostrictive layers need no additional lead-ins and thus can be used in places where electric lead-ins could represent a considerable problem. Furthermore, transducers with magnetostrictive thin layers can be operated at very high frequencies and have better dynamic characteristics than, for example, macroscopic rods.
The thin layers exhibit a high magnetostrictive effect, i.e., a large relative change in length when they are amorphous or have a monocrystalline structure. Such layers are also distinguished through low hysteresis of the magnetostrictive effect. Using structuring, the thin layers can be located at a point where high tensile or compression stresses must be produced in order to obtain long travel paths for the bending transducer. Thus, a plurality of miniaturized magnetostrictive transducers can be produced at the same time on a substrate board. By separating the thin layer into several individual, electrically insulated domains, eddy currents are suppressed in the thin layer and thus the dynamic characteristics of the magnetostrictive layer are improved. The bending elements can be shaped as flexible beams or membranes. By annealing or depositing in an external magnetic field, a magnetic preferred direction, the direction of the "light" magnetization, is obtained in the thin layers.
Even for low external magnetic fields of 500 Oersted, a high magnetostriction on the order of 10.sup.-4 is achieved when the magnetic field is applied to the preferred direction, i.e., parallel to the direction of light magnetization. Without special precautions this preferred direction is located mostly in the layer plane of amorphous specimens. By annealing in an external magnetic field or depositing in an external magnetic field, the achievable magnetostriction can be further increased, and also the preferred direction can be adjusted in an arbitrary manner. Thus, bending transducers with high deflections for low external fields can be constructed where the external field can be either perpendicular or parallel to the magnetostrictive thin layer.
By embedding the thin magnetostrictive layer in other thin layers made of a soft magnetic material, the external magnetic field is reinforced in the domain of the thin magnetostrictive layer, so that high forces can be obtained with weak external magnetic fields. Measures for reinforcing the magnetostrictive effect allow the use of especially simple coils for obtaining the magnetic field. For example, the coils can be made by thick layer technology. Such an attractive field of application for the magnetostrictive transducer is the use, for
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Inoue, et al., Multilayered Magneto-Surface-Acoustic-Wave Devices Composed of Highly Magnetostrictive Amorphous Fe-B Films and Thin Insulating Interlayers, 2419 Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Mar. 28, 1989, pp. 132-134.
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Benz Gerhard
Flik Gottfried
Friedrich Heinz
Treutler Christoph
Michalsky Gerald A.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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