Wax-bonded NdFeB micromagnets for microelectromechanical systems applications

• DOI: 10.1063/1.2830532
• Publication Date: 2008-01-22T23:39:06Z
• Authors: Naigang Wang; Benjamin J. Bowers; David P. Arnold
• Keywords: Neodymium magnet

A microfabrication technique is reported for the fabrication of wax-bonded micromagnets in 100μm–1mm range. This dimensional size not typically achievable by thin-film deposition techniques or conventional macroscale magnet processing, and interest magnetic microelectromechanical systems applications. The approach incorporates a wax powder binder to “lock” microparticles together improve coercivity. In practice, NbFeB are packed into pre-etched trenches silicon wafer subsequently heated, allowing melt bond powder. Using this method, 500×500×320μm3 magnets have been demonstrated with coercivity 737kA∕m maximum energy product 16.6kJ∕m3.