Large displacement spring-like electro-mechanical thermal actuators with insulator constraint beams

J. K. Luo; Y. Q. Fu; A. J. Flewitt; S. M. Spearing; N. A. Fleck; W. I. Milne

doi:10.1117/12.608299

1 July 2005 Large displacement spring-like electro-mechanical thermal actuators with insulator constraint beams

J. K. Luo, Y. Q. Fu, A. J. Flewitt, S. M. Spearing, N. A. Fleck, W. I. Milne

Proceedings Volume 5836, Smart Sensors, Actuators, and MEMS II; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.608299
Event: Microtechnologies for the New Millennium 2005, 2005, Sevilla, Spain

Abstract

A number of in-plane spring-like micro-electro-thermal-actuators with large displacements were proposed. The devices take the advantage of the large difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the conductive arms and the insulator clamping beams. The constraint beams in one type (the spring) of these devices are horizontally positioned to restrict the expansion of the active arms in the x-direction, and to produce a displacement in the y-direction only. In other two types of actuators (the deflector and the contractor), the constraint beams are positioned parallel to the active arms. When the constraint beams are on the inside of the active arms, the actuator produces an outward deflection in the y-direction. When they are on the outside of the active arms, the actuator produces an inward contraction. Analytical model and finite element analysis were used to simulate the performances. It showed that at a constant temperature, analytical model is sufficient to predict the displacement of these devices. The displacements are all proportional to the temperature and the number of the chevron sections. A two-mask process is under development to fabricate these devices, using Si₃N₄ as the insulator beams, and electroplated Ni as the conductive beams.

Citation Download Citation

J. K. Luo, Y. Q. Fu, A. J. Flewitt, S. M. Spearing, N. A. Fleck, and W. I. Milne "Large displacement spring-like electro-mechanical thermal actuators with insulator constraint beams", Proc. SPIE 5836, Smart Sensors, Actuators, and MEMS II, (1 July 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.608299

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