Modeling of cantilever deflection for sensors and actuators: Role of Poisson's ratio for a unified theory

Abstract

We construct a theory of the deflection of a bimorph cantilever, applicable to both the isotropic and anisotropic cases, and also including noise effects. The proposed formulation gives the correct expressions for the longitudinal and transverse deflections of a magnetoelastic cantilever for an arbitrary ratio of the thickness of the two components. The optimization of the cantilever as a sensor as a function of the thickness of the two components is discussed and also some results of the cantilever as an actuator are reported. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.