Design of a magnetic bearing for high speed rotating micro-machines

This paper describes the design and fabrication of a planar magnetic bearing for use in high speed micro-machines. The proposed planar magnetic bearing relies on induction levitation to provide axial and radial support for the rotor while eliminating contact friction. It is fully compatible with conventional micro-fabrication techniques and requires only two stages of fabrication. The bearing benefits from the inherent vertical stability of repulsive levitation, but requires careful choice of geometrical parameters to optimise the lateral stability.