scholarly journals Electrostatically actuated mechanooptical waveguide ON-OFF switch showing high extinction at a low actuation-voltage

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Veldhuis ◽  
T. Nauta ◽  
C. Gui ◽  
J.W. Berenschot ◽  
P.V. Lambeck
Keyword(s):  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated

scholarly journals Design of a large-range rotary microgripper with freeform geometries using a genetic algorithm

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Wang ◽  
Yuan Wang ◽  
Weidong Fang ◽  
Xiaoxiao Song ◽  
Aojie Quan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Human Hair ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Superior Performance ◽  
Mems Devices ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Fabrication Tolerances

AbstractThis paper describes a novel electrostatically actuated microgripper with freeform geometries designed by a genetic algorithm. This new semiautomated design methodology is capable of designing near-optimal MEMS devices that are robust to fabrication tolerances. The use of freeform geometries designed by a genetic algorithm significantly improves the performance of the microgripper. An experiment shows that the designed microgripper has a large displacement (91.5 μm) with a low actuation voltage (47.5 V), which agrees well with the theory. The microgripper has a large actuation displacement and can handle micro-objects with a size from 10 to 100 μm. A grasping experiment on human hair with a diameter of 77 μm was performed to prove the functionality of the gripper. The result confirmed the superior performance of the new design methodology enabling freeform geometries. This design method can also be extended to the design of many other MEMS devices.

Development of a Linearly Tunable Modified Butterfly-Shape MEMS Capacitor

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shavezipur ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Hashemi ◽  
Amir Khajepour ◽  
Patricia Nieva
Keyword(s):  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Insulator Layer ◽  
Plate Electrode ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Monolithically Integrated ◽  
Tunable Capacitors ◽  
Capacitance Voltage ◽  
Rf Devices ◽  
Fixed Electrode ◽  
Structural Layer

This paper presents a novel geometry and modified structural stiffness for electrostatically actuated MEMS tunable capacitors. The design is based on parallel-plate configuration and four triangular plates are put together to form a butterfly shape flexible moving electrode. Each triangle is suspended by three uneven supporting beams. The capacitor is also equipped with extra beams, called here the “middle beams”, located under the triangles’ corners (nodes). An analytical model is developed to solve the governing equations of a triangular-plate electrode with uneven sides and supporting beams, where the stiffness of the middle beams is gradually added to the system as actuation voltage increases. The numerical simulations reveal that each triangle can be individually tuned up to 150% and the capacitance-voltage (C-V) response is broken into small sections due to added middle beams. Using the model developed in this paper and by design optimization, a linear C-V response is obtained, where the tunability in linear region reaches 100%. The simplicity of the proposed design allows the device to be fabricated using a three-structural-layer process such as PolyMUMPs and could therefore be monolithically integrated with other RF devices and ICs. Moreover, adding additional insulator layer on top of the fixed electrode increases the tunability to over 200% displaying a smooth and low sensitive response.

Pull-In Dynamics of Variable-Width Electrostatic Microactuators

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish M. Joglekar ◽  
Dnyanesh N. Pawaskar
Keyword(s):  
Constant Width ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Design Practice ◽  
Critical Amplitude ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Beam Geometry ◽  
Cantilevered Beam ◽  
Convex Geometries ◽  
Fixed Beam

Determination of pull-in parameters is vital in the design of electrostatically actuated microdevices. Moreover, it is important to devise some means to gain a control over the pull-in parameters in order to establish the customized microactuator design practice. In this paper, we analyze the influence of the beam geometry on the dynamic pull-in parameters of electrostatically actuated microbeams. Novel width functions are proposed for the microcantilever and the fixed-fixed beam, which smoothly vary the width of the microbeam along its length. We demonstrate the use of these width-functions by comparing six different microbeam geometries, three for cantilevered beam and three for fixed-fixed beam along with their constant width rectangular counterparts. All configurations are analyzed using an energy technique which gives an upper bound on the critical amplitude of the microbeam displacement, which is subsequently used to extract a lower bound on the applied voltage at the point of dynamic pull-in instability. For every case, a comparison is made between the static and the dynamic pull-in parameters. Results indicate a greater pull-in range for concave beam geometries, while the convex geometries exhibit a reduction in the pull-in range. Actuation voltage requirement is found to be proportional to the increase in the travel range. In all cases, the dynamic pull-in displacement is found to be greater than the static pull-in displacement, while the dynamic pull-in voltage is found to be less than the static pull-in voltage.

A Feasibility Study on Micro Silicon Cantilever Beam for High Isolation RF MEMS Switch

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Lin ◽  
Feiyan Chen ◽  
Guoqing Hu ◽  
Wenyan Liu ◽  
Baihai Wu
Keyword(s):  
Cantilever Beam ◽  
Rf Mems ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Dielectric Materials ◽  
Rf Mems Switch ◽  
High Isolation ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Mems Switch ◽  
Silicon Cantilever ◽  
High Contact Force

This paper presents a novel electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical switch. The structure of cantilever beam with electrodes sandwiched between Si and SiO2 layers has been established. Placing the pull-down electrodes outside the switching contact, the actuation voltage can be reduced while keeping high contact force and restoration force. The top and bottom dielectric materials separated two conducting electrodes when actuated. Thus, the reliability and the performance of the switch have been greatly improved. The charts of the deflection of the cantilever beam with respect to the voltage have been simulated with the MATLAB computer programming language.

Design and Fabrication of Novel Compliant Electrostatically Actuated Microvalves

2009 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 179-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Nikola Pekas ◽  
David Juncker
Keyword(s):  
Power Consumption ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Adhesive Layer ◽  
Fabrication Process ◽  
Elastic Membrane ◽  
Flexible Electrode ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Gas Channel

Electrostatically actuated microvalves are appealing candidates to build fully integrated microfluidic circuits because of the direct transduction of electrical signals into mechanical responses at low power consumption levels. Practical solutions, however, are still lacking due to their multi-layered architecture and difficulties in incorporating heterogeneous materials. In this paper, we report the design and fabrication process of an electrostatically actuated gas microvalve amenable to large scale integration for gas flow control. The device we designed consists of an upper die, containing a flexible electrode sealed by a thin elastic membrane, and a lower die, containing gas channels of trapezoidal cross-section and fixed electrodes. Each microvalve is defined by one fixed electrode spanning the floor and sidewalls of the trapezoidal gas channel and one corresponding flexible electrode suspended above the channel. In contrast to the conventional parallel-plate arrangement of electrodes, the two electrodes are approximated starting from the edges of the trapezoidal gas channel during the actuation step, which is advantageous for lowering the required actuation voltage. The upper die was fabricated by replica molding in polymeric material, the lower die was fabricated in a glass substrate by conventional microfabrication techniques, and the two dies were subsequently aligned and bonded using an adhesive layer. This reported low cost fabrication process could be implemented in any basic microfabrication facility. When a net pressure up to 1 bar was applied to the gas channel, reasonable flow rate was achieved. We also observed displacement of the flexible membrane when a DC voltage of 200 V was applied to a pair of electrodes. These preliminary results show that this microvalve is a promising candidate for integrated on-chip valving and will allow for building large scale microfluidic circuits with reduced power consumption.

Bouncing Mode Electrostatically Actuated Scanning Micromirror for Laser Display Applications

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viacheslav Krylov ◽  
Daniel I. Barnea
Keyword(s):  
Limit Cycle ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Stable Limit Cycle ◽  
Stable Limit ◽  
Operational Mode ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Laser Display ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Operational Frequency ◽  
The Stability

In laser display applications, the necessity to create images free of distortions imposes specific requirements on the motion of scanning devices. We present an approach of a scanning micromirror operation that is aimed to fulfill the requirements of motion linearity, high operational frequency and low actuation voltages. The operational mode incorporates a contact event between the mirror and an elastic constraint followed by a bouncing event and a subsequent inversion of motion. A stable limit cycle with voltage-dependent frequency and triangular response signal is obtained by the application of an actuation voltage which is piecewise constant in time. Approximate expressions relating the frequency and amplitude of the response with the actuating voltage are obtained by energy balance method. The influence of contact losses on the response as well as the stability of the limit cycle are studied numerically.

Thin-Film Electrostatic Actuators on Flexible Plastic Substrates

2003 ◽  
Vol 782 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Gaspar ◽  
V. Chu ◽  
J. P. Conde
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Resonance Frequency ◽  
Actuation Voltage ◽  
Quality Factors ◽  
Electrostatic Actuators ◽  
Plastic Substrates ◽  
Electrostatically Actuated ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Resonance Frequencies ◽  
Silicon Based

ABSTRACTThin-film silicon micromachined bridge actuators are fabricated at temperatures below 110°C on flexible polyethylene terephthalate plastic substrates. The micromechanical structures are electrostatically actuated both at the resonance frequency and at below-resonance frequencies, and the resulting deflection is optically monitored. Deflections up to 100 nm are measured below the resonance frequency with subnanometric precision. Resonance frequencies in the MHz range are observed in vacuum with quality factors of the order of 100. The movement is studied as a function of the geometrical dimensions of the actuators, of the actuation voltage and of the measurement pressure. The experimental data are analyzed using an electromechanical model. The performance of hydrogenated amorphous silicon based resonators on PET substrates is compared to that of similar microstructures on glass substrates.

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