Energy-aware 3D micro-machined inductive suspensions with polymer magnetic composite core

This paper addresses the issue of Joule heating in micromachined inductive suspensions (MIS) and reports a significant decrease of the operating temperature by using a polymer magnetic composite (PMC) core. The PMC material has a high resistivity, thus inhibiting the formation of eddy currents, and a high permeability, thus guiding the magnetic field more efficiently within the MIS structure. We experimentally study the distribution of the PMC material inside the MIS structure and evaluate the effect of the core from the dependence of the levitation height on the excitation current. The experiments carried on in ambient room temperature demonstrate that the temperature inside the micromachined inductive suspension is reduced to 58°C, which is a record-low temperature compared to other MIS structures reported before.