Fabrication of magnetostrictive actuators using rare-earth (Tb,Sm)-Fe thin films (invited)

A new concept is proposed for the microactuation based upon magnetostriction. Magnetostrictive bimorph cantilever actuators and a traveling machine, composed of the magnetostrictive amorphous Tb-Fe and Sm-Fe thin films on a polyimide substrate, were fabricated. These actuators moved without power supply cables. The 3-mm-long cantilever actuator exhibited the large deflection above 100 μm in as low a magnetic field as 300 Oe and above 500 μm at resonant frequency in an alternating magnetic field of 300 Oe. Such unique characteristics suggest that magnetostriction is useful as the driving force of the microactuator.