Mechanical and optical characterization of thermal microactuators fabricated in a CMOS process

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Abstract
Microelectromechanical actuators with large vertical deflections are desirable for microactuation and sensing applications, such as tactile stimulators for telerobotics, micropositioners, and microflaps for airflow control. Thermally actuated cantilever beams provide large deflections at low voltages and low power. Cantilever beams using silicon micromachining have been fabricated in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. The beams were tested using a microscope-based laser interferometer and a weight-balance force tester, both of which were specifically designed and built for analysis of microelectromechanical devices. Measurments were taken of cantilever beam deflection, maximum operating frequency, and operation under load. Cantilevers 300 micrometers long and 100 micrometers wide with a 2.6 K(Omega) polycrystalline silicon heating resistor were capable of deflecting loads of up to 15 mg with a 6 volt drive. The same cantilevers were tested for fatigue endurance under a 5 mg load, producing a 5 micrometers deflection that remained unchanged after 75 hours of continuous operation with a 6 volt peak, 0.33 Hz square wave drive signal.

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