Reversible high-speed electrostatic “contact”

The specific features of the formation of a reversible contact in a structure composed of a mobile electrode and a high-permittivity ferroelectric under a voltage pulse have been investigated. It is shown that, using a ferroelectric film, one can form an anomalously high density of electric field energy (to 108 J/m3); a pressure up to 104 N/m2; and, correspondingly, adhesion forces for the two surfaces up to (3–5) × 105 N/J, depending on the energy capacity of the structure, in the air nanogap between these surfaces.