A novel PVDF microforce/force rate sensor for practical applications in micromanipulation

Abstract

This paper presents our development of a novel force and force rate sensory system to advance applications in micromanipulation using an in situ polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric sensor. To allow close monitoring of magnitude and direction of microforces acting on microdevices during manipulation, PVDF ploymer films are used to fabricate highly sensitive 1D and 2D sensors to detect real-time microforce and force rate information during the manipulation process. The sensory system with a resolution in the range of sub-micronewtons can be applied effectively to develop a technology on the force-reflection microassembly of surface MEMS structures, in addition, a tele-micromanipulation platform, which can be used to perform tele-microassembly of the MEMS structures and tele-cell-manipulation with force/haptic feedback via Internet was also built successfully.