Abstract
In this study, an electro-thermal microactuator for bi-directional motion is designed and fabricated using surface micromachining processes. The in-plane horizontal motion of the device is based on the uneven thermal expansion of the structure with different beam widths, while the out-of-plane vertical motion is driven by electrostatic force through using the principle of lever to allow bending the beam upward and to enlarge the tip deflection. This microactuator has the advantages of CMOS-compatible, low operation voltage, and simple fabrication processes. Finite element analysis (FEA) is used to simulate the electro-thermo-mechanical behavior of the device and to demonstrate the feasibility of our design. The relationship between the applied voltage and the displacement is found, and the performance of the presented design is examined. The experimental setup is built for measuring the upward and in-plane deflection. The deviation between simulated and measured results is discussed.