• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2008

The paper deals with the numerical analysis and design optimization of polysilicon micro thermal flexure actuator. The deflection of a thermal actuator is implicitly related to the actuation time so that such deflection is to be maximized under the consideration of structural performances such as maximum stress and natural frequencies. At first, the structural formulation of a thermal actuator is reviewed, and its CAE based simulation is performed to verify the numerical model. A parametric study is then conducted to identify the mainly effective design variables. Finally, the design of a micro thermal actuator is explored in the context of deterministic optimization and reliability based design optimization in the present study.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.1115-1117
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• 2005

This paper describes the three dimension model and simulation results of a thermal actuator based on polyMUMPs process, known as thermal multimorph actuator. The device has potential application in micro-transducers such as atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip. This device made of a multi-layer materials stack together with consisted of polysilicon, $SiO_2$ and gold. A mask layout design, three dimension model and simulation results are reported and discussed.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.263-267
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• 2006

A new thermal bimorph actuator for large out-of-plane displacement is designed, fabricated and tested. The deflecting beam is composed of polyimide, heater, and polyvinyl difluorides with tetrafluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE). The large difference of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of two polymer layers (polyimide and PVDF-TrFE) can generate a significant deflection with relatively small temperature rise. Compared to the most conventional micro actuators based on MEMS (micro-electro mechanical system) technology, a large displacement, over 1 mm at 20 mW, could be achieved. Additionally, we can achieve response time of 14.6 ms, resonance frequency of 12 Hz, and reliability ability of $10^5$ cycles. The proposed actuator can find applications where a large vertical displacement is needed while maintaining compact overall device size, such as a micro zooming lens, micro mirror, micro valve and optical application.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.1286-1289
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• 2004

A new thermal bimorph actuator for large out-of-plane displacement is designed, fabricated and tested. The deflecting beam is composed of polyimide, heater, and polyvinyl difluorides with tetrafluoroethylene(PVDF-TrFE). The large difference of coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) of two polymer layers (polyimide and PVDF-TrFE) can generate a large deflection with relatively small temperature rising. Compared to the most conventional micro actuators based on MEMS(micro-electro mechanical system) technology, a large displacement, over 1 mm at 20 mW, could be achieved. The proposed actuator can find applications where a large vertical displacement is needed while keeping compact overall device size, such as a micro zooming lens.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.569-570
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.381-385
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• 2003

This paper presents the fabrication possibility of the micro actuator which uses a micro-thermal bubble, generated by a micro-heater under pulse heating. The micro-actuator is consist of three plate. The lower plate includes the channel and chamber are fabricated on high processability silicon wafer by the DRIE(Deep Reactive ion Etching) process. The middle plate includes the chamber and diaphragm, and the upper plate is the micro-heater. The micro-heater designed non-uniform width and results in periodic generation of stable single bubbles in D.I water. The single bubble appears precisely on the narrow part of the micro-heater and control is recorded.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2008

The restrictor, which is a fluid channel from a reservoir to a chamber inside a thermal micro actuator, has been fabricated using ArF and KrF excimer lasers, Diode-Pumped Solid State Lasers (DPSSL) and femtosecond lasers for a feasibility study. A numerical model of fluid dynamics for the actuator chamber and restrictor is presented. The model includes bubble formation and growth, droplet ejection through nozzle, and dynamics of fluid refill through the restrictor from a reservoir. Since an optimized and well-fabricated restrictor is important for a high frequency actuator, some special beam delivery setups and post processing techniques have been researched and developed. The effects of variations of the restrictor length, diameter, and tapered shapes are simulated and the results are analyzed to determine the optimal design. The numerical results of droplet velocity and volume are compared with the experimental results of a cylindrical-shaped actuator. It is found that the micro actuators having tapered restrictors show better high frequency characteristics than those having a cylindrical shape without any notable decrease of droplet volume. The laser-fabricated restrictors demonstrate initial feasibility for the laser direct ablation technique although more development is required.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.932-937
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• 2002

The polyimide nozzle and silicon restrictor inside a thermal micro actuator have been fabricated using state of the art laser micromachining methods. Numerical models of fluid dynamics inside the actuator chamber and nozzle are presented. The models include fluid flow from reservoir, bubble formation and growth, ejection through the nozzle, and dynamics of refill through restrictor. Since high tapered nozzle and restrictor are very important parameters for overall actuator performance design, a special setup for the beam delivery system has been developed. The effects of variations of nozzle thickness, diameter, taper angles, and restrictor shapes are simulated and some results are compared with the experimental results. It is fecund that the fluid ejection through the thinner and high tapered nozzle is more steady, fast, and robust and the tapered restrictor shows more satisfying refill than the zero taper one.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1996.07c
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• pp.2004-2006
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• 1996

A thermally driven polysilicon micro actuator has been fabricated using surface micromachining techniques. It consists of P-doped polysilicon as a structural layer and TEOS (tetracthylorthosilicate) as a sacrificial layer. The polysilicon was annealed for the relaxation of residual stress which is the main cause to its deformation such as bending and buckling. And the newly developed HF VPE (vapor phase etching) process was also used as an effective release method for the elimination of sacrificial TEOS layer. The thickneas of polysilicon is $2{\mu}m$ and the lengths of active and passive polysilicon cantilevers are $500{\mu}m$ and $260{\mu}m$, respectively. The actuation is incurred by die thermal expansion due to the current flow in the active polysilicon cantilever, which motion is amplified by lever mechanism. The moving distance of polysilicon micro actuator was experimentally conformed as large as $21{\mu}m$ at the input voltage level of 10V and 50Hz square wave. The actuating characteristics are investigated by simulating the phenomena of heat transfer and thermal expansion in the polysilicon layer. The displacement of actuator is analyzed to be proportional to the square of input voltage. These micro actuator technology can be utilized for the fabrication of MEMS (microelectromechanical system) such as micro relay, which requires large displacement or contact force but relatively slow response.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07g
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• pp.3325-3327
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• 1999

A microgripper driven by E-T (electro-thermal) actuators has been designed and fabricated by surface micromachining. This microgripper consists of two E-T actuators. Each actuator has two arms with different widths joined at the end to form a 'U' shape. The wider 'cold' arm has a narrow flexure at the end (anchor or electrode side) for easy bending, This actuator can be fabricated with only two masks - one for the sacrificial layer and the other for the poly-Si structure layer. An E-T actuator bends its arm due to unequal thermal expansion between the 'cold' arm and the 'hot' arm, This actuator tip moves laterally in an arcing motion towards the cold arm side when the structure is unevenly heated by the applied current. Therefore each microgripper is actuated inwards and can hold a micro object. The fabricated E-T actuator was operated in the range of $2{\sim}12V$ and $1{\sim}5mA$. and maximum tip displacement was $13.6{\mu}m$. This device may become useful in many applications because an E-T actuator can be designed and fabricated easily, and obtain large displacement.