Electrothermal Linear Micromotors Fabricated
from Deep Reactive Ion Etching of Single Crystal Silicon
John M. Maloney, Don L. DeVoe, and David S. Schreiber
Electrothermal linear motors with heights of
50 microns have been fabricated by using deep reactive ion etching
(DRIE) on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The motors are powered by
V-beam thermal actuators that deflect laterally when current is
applied. Synchronized arrays of actuators are used to position and
clamp a slider through frictional contact only, improving positioning
resolution. These high-aspect-ratio motors produce significantly
larger forces than similar polysilicon electrothermal or electrostatic
devices. Forces of 6.7 mN have been demonstrated at a voltage of
12 V, making these motors well suited for positioning compliant
mechanisms. Motors measuring 2.5 mm by 2.1 mm in die area
have been run at speeds of up to 1 mm/s over a range in excess of
2 mm.
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