A novel one-mask polysilicon actuator driven by thermal expansion is developed, modeled and tested. The structures are heated by electric current due to resistive dissipation. Thermal strain is magnified by two mechanical mechanisms-lever and parallelogram. The device is tested in air and has a lateral 8 jim-displacement by applying a low voltage (below 3.5 V). The critical current to reach melting point is about 67 mA with the input voltage less than 5 V. The simulation results by analytical and FEM schemes are compared with experimental data. The maximum output forces is measured with a built-in cantilever beam and is calculated to be about 3.3 μN.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Comtois, J. H. and Bright, V. M., 1996, "Surface Micromachined Polysilicon Thermal Actuator Arrays and Applications,"Technical Digest Of the Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, pp. 174-177.
2.
Comtois, J. H. and Bright, V. M., 1997, "Applications for surface-micromachined polysilicon thermal actuators and arrays,"Sensors and Actuators, A58, pp. 19-25.
3.
Guckel, H. et al., 1992, "Thermo-magnetic metal flexure actuators,"Technical Digest, IEEE Solid State Sensors and Actuators Workshop, pp. 73-75.
4.
Hoerschelmann, S. , 1994, "Thermally Driven Microvalve with Buckling Behavior for Pneumatic Applications,"IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Workshop, pp. 13-17.
5.
Judy, J. W. , Tamagawa, T., and Polla, D. L., 1990, "Surface Micromachined Linear Thermal Microactuator,"IEEE Electron Devices Meeting, 1990. Technical Digest., International, pp. 629-632.
6.
Kim, C. J. , Pisano, A. P, and Muller, R. S., 1992, "Silicon-processed Overhanging Microgrippers,"Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 1, pp. 31-36.
7.
Matoba, H. et al., 1994, "A Bistable Snapping Microactuator,"IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Workshop, pp. 45-50.
8.
Manabu Ataka , Akito Omodaka, Naohiro Takeshima, and Hiroyuki Fujita, 1993, "Fabrication and Operation of Polyimide Bimorph Actuators for a Ciliary Motion System,"Journal of Microelectromechanical Systeml, 2(4), pp. 146-150.
9.
Oei, D. G. and Mcarthy, S. L., 1992, "The Effect of Temperature and Pressure on Residual Stress in LPCVD Polysilicon Films,"Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., Vol. 276 pp. 85-90.
10.
Pan, C. S. and Hsu, W., 1997, "An Electro-Thermally and Laterally Driven Polysilicon Microactuator,"Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 7, pp. 7-13.
11.
Ph. Lerch , C. Kara Slimane, B. Romanowicz, and Ph. Renaud, 1996, "Modelization and Characterization of Asymmetrical Thermal Micro-actuator,"J. Micromech. Microeng., 6, pp. 134-137.
12.
Reid J. R. , Bright V. M. and Butler J. T., 1998, "Automated assembly of flip-up micromirrors,"Sensors and Actuators, A66, pp. 292-298.
13.
Riethmuller, W. and Benecke, W.1988, "Thermally Excited Silicon Microactuators,"IEEE Trans. Electron Devices. Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 758-763.
14.
Takeshima, N. et al., 1991, "Electrostatic Parallelogram Actuators,"IEEE Micro Electro Mechanical Systems Workshop.
15.
Takeshima, N. and Fujita, H., 1991, "Polyimide Bimorph Actuators for a Ciliary Motion System,"Micromechanical Sensors, Actuators, and S'stems (DSC-Vol.32), ASME Winter Annual Meeting.
16.
Tang, W. C. , Nguyen, T. H., and Howe, R. T., 1989, "Laterally Driven, Polysilicon Resonant Microstructures,"Journal of Sensors and Actuators, pp. 25-32.
17.
Tang, W. C. , Lim, M. G., and Howe, R. T., 1992, "Electrostatic Comb Drive Levitation and Control Method,"Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems,Vol. 1. No.4, pp. 170-178.
