Low-power electrothermal actuation for microelectromechanical systems

Jack L. Skinner; Paul M. Dentinger; Fabian W. Strong; Steven E. Gianoulakis

doi:10.1117/1.3013549

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1 October 2008 Low-power electrothermal actuation for microelectromechanical systems

Jack L. Skinner, Paul M. Dentinger, Fabian W. Strong, Steven E. Gianoulakis

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J. of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, 7(4), 043025 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3013549

Abstract

Electrothermal actuation has been used in microelectromechanical systems where low actuation voltage and high contact force are required. Power consumption to operate electrothermal actuators has typically been higher than with electrostatic actuation. A method of designing and processing electrothermal actuators is presented that leads to an order of magnitude reduction in required power while maintaining the low voltage, high force advantages. The substrate was removed beneath the actuator beams, thereby discarding the predominant power loss mechanism and reducing the required actuation power by an order of magnitude. Measured data and theoretical results from electrothermally actuated switches are presented to confirm the method.

©(2008) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

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Jack L. Skinner, Paul M. Dentinger, Fabian W. Strong, and Steven E. Gianoulakis "Low-power electrothermal actuation for microelectromechanical systems," Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 7(4), 043025 (1 October 2008). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3013549

Published: 1 October 2008

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