Electroactive polymer actuator and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A multilayer electroactive polymer actuator and a method of manufacturing the same. The multilayer electroactive polymer actuator is divided into an actuating area and a non-actuating area. A plurality of driving electrodes, each formed on a side of the respective polymer layer to correspond to the actuating area. A plurality of extension electrodes connected to the driving electrodes and a common electrode for vertically connecting the extension electrodes are formed to correspond to the non-actuating area. A via hole is formed through the plurality of non-actuating layers and has a diameter which increases in a stepwise manner upwards. The common electrode is formed in the via hole. The driving electrode includes an alloy of aluminum and copper. The extension electrode is formed of material having a small reactivity with respect to laser as compared to the reactivity of the polymer layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a multilayer electroactive polymer actuator, the method comprising:
 forming a first polymer layer on a substrate that is divided into an actuating area, a first non-actuating area that is positioned at a first side of the actuating area, and a second non-actuating area that is positioned at a second side of the actuating area;   forming a first driving electrode on the first polymer layer to cover at least the actuating area to extend to the first non-actuating area;   forming a first extension electrode on the first-non actuating area of the first polymer layer, the first extension electrode being connected to the first driving electrode;   forming a second polymer layer on the upper surface of the first polymer layer that includes the first driving electrode and the first extension electrode;   forming a second driving electrode on the second polymer layer to cover at least the actuating area to extend to the second non-actuating area;   forming a second extension electrode on the second-non actuating area of the second polymer layer, the second extension electrode being connected to the second driving electrode;   forming a plurality of non-actuating layers on the first non-actuating area and the second non-actuating area by repeating the operations from   forming the first polymer layer to forming the second extension electrode at least once;   forming a via hole which comprises a diameter which increases upwards in a stepwise manner by etching the non-actuating layers; and   forming a common electrode in the via hole to connect the extension electrodes exposed by the via hole to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the driving electrode comprises an aluminum-copper alloy and the extension electrode comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold (Au), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), and aluminum (Al). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the via hole is formed by etching the non-actuating layers using a laser, wherein a reactivity of the polymer layer with the laser is greater than a reactivity of the extension electrode with the laser.