Abstract
A new breed of in-plane bi-directional MEMS actuators based on controlled electrothermal buckling and electromagnetic Lorentz force has been demonstrated under both dc and ac operations. Experimentally, bi-directional actuators made by the standard surface-micromachining process have a lateral actuation range of several microns and can exert forces over 100 µN, while those made by SOI and MetalMUMPs processes have an operation range up to several tens of microns and can exert more than 20 mN of force. Reliability tests show that SOI/MetalMUMPs and surface-micromachined actuators can operate for more than 1 and 100 million cycles, respectively, with no signs of degradation. As such, these micro-actuators could be used for MEMS devices that require a bi-directional movement with a large force output such as bi-directional micro-relays.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.