Thermally excited inchworm actuators and stepwise micromotors: Analysis and fabrication

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

12-1-1997

Abstract

Thermal actuation using a bimorph structure has been combined with electrostatic actuation in cantilever devices. An analytical model was given for thermal actuation, where temperature dependent internal stress in both layers was included in 1D beam equations. The results were compared with the test results and numerical simulation results and showed good agreement. A novel micromotor was designed and fabricated to demonstrate one possible application. The force created by the bimorph actuator is in micro Newton range, and transient thermal power less than 50mW is enough to turn rotors with a diameter of 250 μm. Potential applications of the micromotor are accurate positioning of active and passive devices including lasers and micromirrors, and light modulation as an optical shutter.

Identifier

0001253997 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Proceedings of SPIE the International Society for Optical Engineering

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.284538

ISSN

0277786X

First Page

372

Last Page

379

Volume

3224

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS