Basic performance evaluation of electrorheological gel in vacuum condition

ER gel exhibits various adhesive characteristics according to the applied electric field. This characteristic is called the EA effect. The results of a recent study reveal that the EA effect also occurs in a vacuum. Therefore, it is expected that ER gel can be applied to a chucking or damping device in a vacuum process. However, the characteristics of ER gel in a vacuum have not been sufficiently clarified. The purpose of this study is to experimentally evaluate the characteristic of ER gel in a vacuum. The performance of an ERG fixture element used for a silicon wafer in a vacuum is evaluated through shearing tests. The experimental results indicate that the ER gel demonstrates satisfactory performance in a vacuum. Moreover, the outgas released from the ER gel in a vacuum is evaluated, and the influence of the degassing time on the outgas is investigated.