Photoconductive high-voltage switches of thin film amorphous silicon for EAP actuators

Stéphanie P. Lacour; Ron Pelrine; Sigurd Wagner; Harsha Prahlad

doi:10.1117/12.484712

28 July 2003 Photoconductive high-voltage switches of thin film amorphous silicon for EAP actuators

Stéphanie P. Lacour, Ron Pelrine, Sigurd Wagner, Harsha Prahlad

Proceedings Volume 5051, Smart Structures and Materials 2003: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD); (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484712
Event: Smart Structures and Materials, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Dielectric elastomer actuators offer unprecedented opportunities for actuation in a wide range of applications. To make appealing large scale and efficient systems, new electronic devices combining high voltage and flexibility need to be designed. In this paper we report the first mechatronic system, made of an array of electro-active polymer based actuators integrated with thin film photoconductive high voltage switches fabricated on a plastic film substrate. The actuator is an acrylic elastomer diaphragm that expands under electrical stimulation. Each actuator is connected to the high voltage power supply through a photoconductive switch, which is addressed and closed by illumination. The amorphous silicon switches are made on flexible and transparent polyimide (Kapton E®) substrates. Individual switches were tested up to 8 kV and a nine-element array was successfully working at 5 kV.

Citation Download Citation

Stéphanie P. Lacour, Ron Pelrine, Sigurd Wagner, and Harsha Prahlad "Photoconductive high-voltage switches of thin film amorphous silicon for EAP actuators", Proc. SPIE 5051, Smart Structures and Materials 2003: Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD), (28 July 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.484712

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