MEMS thermal actuator
A MEMS thermal actuator is a micromechanical device that typically generates motion by thermal expansion amplification. A small amount of thermal expansion of one part of the device translates to a large amount of deflection of the overall device. Usually fabricated out of doped Single Crystal Silicon or Polysilicon as a complex compliant member, the increase in temperature can be achieved internally by electrical resistive heating or externally by a heat source capable of locally introducing heat.
Types of thermal actuators
- Asymmetric (bimorph)[1][2]
- Symmetric (bent beam, chevron)[3][4]
Other types of MEMS Actuators
References
- ^ Guckel H, Klein J, Christenson T, Skrobis K, Laudon M, and Lovell EG, “Thermo-magnetic metal flexure actuators”, Technical Digest, 1992 Solid State Sensors and Actuators Workshop (Hilton Head, SC, USA) (1992) 73-5
- ^ Comtois J, Bright V, "Surface Micromachined Polysilicon Thermal Actuator Arrays and Applications", Technical Digest, 1996 Solid State Sensors and Actuators Workshop (Hilton Head, SC, USA) (1996) 174-7
- ^ Que L, Park J-S and Gianchandani Y B 1999 Bent-beam electro-thermal actuators for high force applications IEEE Int. Conf. on Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pp 31–6
- ^ Sinclair M J 2000 A high force low area MEMS thermal actuator Proc. 7th Intersociety Conf. on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena (Las Vegas, NV) pp 127–32