Nanostructured thin ribbons of a shape memory TiNiCu alloy

Abstract The present work deals with the investigation of the nanostructured shape memory alloys for the purpose of development of micromechanical devices. The Ti 50 Ni 25 Cu 25 (at.%) alloy fabricated by the melt spinning technique in the form of a ribbon with a thickness around 40 μm and a width about 1.5 mm was chosen as a starting material. Technological parameters were optimized to produce the alloy in an amorphous state. The thickness of the ribbon was reduced to 5–10 μm by means of electrochemical polishing. A special nanostructurization of the thin ribbons was obtained via the dynamic crystallization of the amorphous alloy by application of a single electric pulse with duration near 500 μs. A composite micromanipulator with overall dimensions of 20 × 5 × 0.9 μm was developed and produced on the basis of the obtained nanostructured thin ribbons by means of the focused ion beam (FIB) technique.