Publications

Low-power electrothermal actuation for microelectromechanical systems

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

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.