  Recent advances in microtechnology allow realization of planar microcoils.
These components are integrated in MEMS as magnetic sensor or actuator. In the
latter case, it is necessary to maximize the effective magnetic field which is
proportional to the current passing through the copper track and depends on the
distance to the generation microcoil. The aim of this work was to determine the
optimal microcoil design configuration for magnetic field generation. The
results were applied to magnetic actuation, taking into account technological
constraints. In particular, we have considered different realistic
configurations that involve a magnetically actuated device coupled to a
microcoil. Calculations by a semi-analytical method using Matlab software were
validated by experimental measurements. The copper planar microcoils are
fabricated by U.V. micromoulding on different substrates: flexible polymer
(Kapton) and silicate on silicon. They are constituted by a spiral-like
continuous track. Their total surface is about 1 mm2.
