Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modeling of electrically actuated elastomer structures for electro-optical modulation

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A transparent elastomer layer sandwiched between two metal electrodes deforms upon voltage application due to electrostatic forces. This structure can be used as tunable waveguide. We investigate structures of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer with 1–30 μm thickness and 40 nm gold electrodes. For extended electrodes the effect size may be calculated analytically as a function of the Poisson ratio. A fully coupled finite-element method (FEM) is used for calculation of the position-dependent deformation in case of structured electrodes. Different geometries are compared concerning actuation effect size and homogeneity. Structuring of the top electrode results in high effect magnitude, but non-uniform deformation concentrated at the electrode edges. Structured bottom electrodes provide good compromise between effect size and homogeneity for electrode widths of 2.75 times the elastomer thickness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L. Eldada, L.W. Shacklette, IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 6, 54 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. D. Chen, H.R. Fetterman, A. Chen, W.H. Steier, L.R. Dalton, W. Wang, Y. Shi, Appl. Phys. Lett. 70, 3335 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Y.-O. Noh, J.-M. Kim, M.-S. Yang, H.-J. Choi, H.-J. Lee, Y.-H. Won, S.-G. Han, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 16, 446 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Y. Shi, C. Zhang, H. Zhang, J.H. Bechtel, L.R. Dalton, B.H. Robinson, W.H. Steier, Science 288, 119 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. M.-C. Oh, H.-J. Lee, M.-H. Lee, J.-H. Ahn, S.G. Han, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 10, 813 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. N. Galler, H. Ditlbacher, B. Steinberger, A. Hohenau, M. Dansachmüller, F. Camacho-Gonzales, S. Bauer, J.R. Krenn, A. Leitner, F.R. Aussenegg, Appl. Phys. B 85, 7 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. N. Galler, H. Ditlbacher, A. Hohenau, D.M. Koller, J.R. Krenn, A. Leitner, F.R. Aussenegg, in Proc. European Conference on Integrated Optics, vol. 14 (2008), pp. 37

    Google Scholar 

  8. R.E. Pelrine, R.D. Kornbluh, J.P. Joseph, Sens. Actuators A 64, 77 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. R. Pelrine, R. Kornbluh, Q. Pei, J. Joseph, Science 287, 836 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Smart Mater. Struct. 14, 1396 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. M. Wissler, E. Mazza, Sens. Actuators A 138, 384 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. B. O’Brien, T. McKay, E. Calius, S. Xie, I. Anderson, Appl. Phys. A 94, 507 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. X. Zhao, Z. Suo, Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 061921 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Z. Suo, X. Zhao, W.H. Greene, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 56, 467 (2008)

    Article  MATH  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. F. Carpi, D. de Rossi, Mater. Sci. Eng. C 24, 555 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. G.K. Lau, J.F.L. Goosen, F. van Keulen, P.J. French, P.M. Sarro, J. Micromech. Microeng. 16, 35 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. J. Donea, S. Guiliani, J.P. Halleux, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 33, 689 (1982)

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. R.S. Elliott, Electromagnetics—History, Theory, and Applications (IEEE Press, Piscataway, 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  19. C.R. Paul, K.W. Whites, S.A. Nasar, Introduction to Electromagnetic Fields (McGraw-Hill, Boston, 1998)

    Google Scholar 

  20. D.S. Chandrasekharaiah, L. Debnath, Continuum Mechanics (Academic Press, San Diego, 1994)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. K.M. Choi, J.A. Rogers, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 4060 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. H. Hillborg, J.F. Ankner, U.W. Gedde, G.D. Smith, H.K. Yasuda, K. Wikström, Polymer 41, 6851 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. F. Schneider, T. Fellner, J. Wilde, U. Wallrabe, J. Micromech. Microeng. 18, 065008 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. J.-S. Plante, S. Dubowsky, Smart Mater. Struct. 16, 227 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. H. Kück, W. Doleschal, A. Gehner, W. Grundke, R. Melcher, J. Paufler, R. Seltmann, G. Zimmer, Sens. Actuators A 54, 536 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Electrical and Information Engineering, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kaiserstr. 2, 24143, Kiel, Germany

    Christian Kluge & Martina Gerken

  2. Institute of Physics and Erwin Schrödinger Institute for Nanoscale Research, Karl-Franzens University, Universitätsplatz 5, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Nicole Galler & Harald Ditlbacher

Authors
  1. Christian Kluge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicole Galler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Harald Ditlbacher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Martina Gerken
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christian Kluge.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kluge, C., Galler, N., Ditlbacher, H. et al. Modeling of electrically actuated elastomer structures for electro-optical modulation. Appl. Phys. A 102, 407–413 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-6086-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-6086-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation