Method and structure for an out-of-plane compliant micro actuator
First Claim
1. An actuator device, the actuator device comprising:
- a substrate member, the substrate member comprising a surface region;
a first actuator member comprising a first comb-shaped electrode having a first fixed end, a first plurality of free ends, and a first length formed between the first fixed end and the first plurality of free ends, the first fixed end being coupled to a first portion of the surface region, each of the first plurality of free ends being at a first distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the first actuator member; and
a second actuator member comprising a second comb-shaped electrode having a second fixed end, a second plurality of free ends, and a second length formed between the second fixed end and the second plurality of free ends, the second fixed end being coupled to a second portion of the surface region, each of the second plurality of free ends being at a second distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the second actuator member and being spatially interlaced with the first plurality of free ends in a head-to-head manner;
whereupon the first comb-shaped electrode and the second comb-shaped electrode are capable of being biased relative to each other by a voltage potential;
wherein the first actuator member and the second actuator member have a stressed state corresponding to the first plurality of free ends being moved from the first distance to a third distance towards the surface region and the second plurality of free ends being moved from the second distance to a fourth distance towards the surface region;
wherein the movable compliant actuator is a stack of films.
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Abstract
This present invention relates generally to manufacturing objects. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and structure for fabricating an out-of-plane compliant micro actuator. The compliant actuator has large actuation range in both vertical and horizontal planes without physical contact to the substrate. Due to fringe field actuation, the compliant actuator has no pull-in phenomenon and requires low voltage by a ‘zipping’ movement compared to conventional parallel plate electrostatic actuators. The method and device can be applied to micro actuators as well as other devices, for example, micro-electromechanical sensors, detectors, fluidic, and optical systems.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An actuator device, the actuator device comprising:
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a substrate member, the substrate member comprising a surface region; a first actuator member comprising a first comb-shaped electrode having a first fixed end, a first plurality of free ends, and a first length formed between the first fixed end and the first plurality of free ends, the first fixed end being coupled to a first portion of the surface region, each of the first plurality of free ends being at a first distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the first actuator member; and a second actuator member comprising a second comb-shaped electrode having a second fixed end, a second plurality of free ends, and a second length formed between the second fixed end and the second plurality of free ends, the second fixed end being coupled to a second portion of the surface region, each of the second plurality of free ends being at a second distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the second actuator member and being spatially interlaced with the first plurality of free ends in a head-to-head manner; whereupon the first comb-shaped electrode and the second comb-shaped electrode are capable of being biased relative to each other by a voltage potential; wherein the first actuator member and the second actuator member have a stressed state corresponding to the first plurality of free ends being moved from the first distance to a third distance towards the surface region and the second plurality of free ends being moved from the second distance to a fourth distance towards the surface region; wherein the movable compliant actuator is a stack of films. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An actuator device, the actuator device comprising:
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a TFT glass substrate member, the TFT glass substrate member comprising a surface region; a first actuator member comprising a first comb-shaped electrode having a first fixed end, a first plurality of free ends, and a first length formed between the first fixed end and the first plurality of free ends, the first fixed end being coupled to a first portion of the surface region, each of the first plurality of free ends being at a first distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the first actuator member; and a second actuator member comprising a second comb-shaped electrode having a second fixed end, a second plurality of free ends, and a second length formed between the second fixed end and the second plurality of free ends, the second fixed end being coupled to a second portion of the surface region, each of the second plurality of free ends being at a second distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the second actuator member and being spatially interlaced with the first plurality of free ends in a head-to-head manner; whereupon the first comb-shaped electrode and the second comb-shaped electrode are capable of being biased relative to each other by a voltage potential; wherein the first actuator member and the second actuator member have a stressed state corresponding to the first plurality of free ends being moved from the first distance to a third distance towards the surface region and the second plurality of free ends being moved from the second distance to a fourth distance towards the surface region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An actuator device, the actuator device comprising:
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a substrate member, the substrate member comprising a surface region; a first actuator member comprising a first comb-shaped electrode having a first fixed end, a first plurality of free ends, and a first length formed between the first fixed end and the first plurality of free ends, the first fixed end being coupled to a first portion of the surface region, each of the first plurality of free ends being at a first distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the first actuator member; and a second actuator member comprising a second comb-shaped electrode having a second fixed end, a second plurality of free ends, and a second length formed between the second fixed end and the second plurality of free ends, the second fixed end being coupled to a second portion of the surface region, each of the second plurality of free ends being at a second distance from the surface region associated with a neutral state of the second actuator member and being spatially interlaced with the first plurality of free ends in a head-to-head manner; whereupon the first comb-shaped electrode and the second comb-shaped electrode are capable of being biased relative to each other by a voltage potential; wherein the first actuator member and the second actuator member have a stressed state corresponding to the first plurality of free ends being moved from the first distance to a third distance towards the surface region and the second plurality of free ends being moved from the second distance to a fourth distance towards the surface region; wherein the movable compliant actuator is a stack of films selected from films of different Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) including Aluminum/Ti, Aluminum/TiN, and TiN/amorphous Silicon. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification