Working Principles for Microactuators

Power
Supply

Micro
Output Transduction
Actuating Unit
Action
Element

Power supply: Electrical current or voltage

Transduction unit: To covert the appropriate form of power supply

into the desired form of actions of the actuating
element

Actuating element: A material or component that moves with power

supply

Output action: Usually in a prescribed motion

 Actuation Using Thermal Forces

● Solids deform when they are subjected to a temperature change (∆T)

● A solid rod with a length L will extend its length by ∆L = α∆T, in which
α = coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) – a material property.

● When two materials with distinct CTE bond together and is subjected to a
temperature change, the compound material will change its geometry
as illustrated below with a compound beam:
Heat
1   2
1

2

●These compound beams are commonly used as microswitches and relays

in MEMS products.
 Actuation Using Shape Memory Alloys (SMA)

● SMA are the materials that have a “memory” of their original geometry (shape)
at a typically elevated temperature of production.

● These alloys are deformed into different geometry at typically room temperature.

● The deformed SMA structures will return to their original shapes when they are
heated to the elevated temperature at their productions.

● Ti-Ni is a common SMA.

● A microswitch actuated with SMA:

Shape Memory Alloy Strip
e.g. TiNi or Nitinolor
Resistance Heating Strip

Silicon Cantilever Beam

Constraint Base
 Actuation Using Piezoelectric Crystals

● A certain crystals, e.g., quartz exhibit an interesting behavior when subjected

to a mechanical deformation or an electric voltage.

● This behavior may be illustrated as follows:

Induced Mechanical
Mechanical Deformation
Forces

Applied Voltage, V
V

Mechanical force induced Electric voltage induced

electric voltage mechanical deformation

● This peculiar behavior makes piezoelectric crystals an ideal candidate for

microactuation as illustrated in the following case:
 Actuation Using Piezoelectric Crystals-Cont’d

A micro relay or microelectrical switch

Electrodes

V
Piezoelectric

Silicon Cantilever Beam

Constraint Base
 Actuation Using Electrostatic Forces

● Electrostatic Force between Two Particles – The Coulomb’s Law:

A
(with charge q)

B
(with charge q’)

1 qq'
The attraction or repulsive force: F =
4 r 2
where ε = permittivity of the medium between the two particles
= 8.85 x 10-12 C2/N-m2 or 8.85 pF/m in vacuum (= εo) r
= Distance between the particles (m)
 Actuation Using Electrostatic Forces-Cont’d

● Electrostatic Force Normal to Two Electrically Charged Plates:

Length, L

V
Gap, d

A WL
● The induced capacitance, C is: C = r o =  r o
d d
● The induced normal force, Fd is:

1  r o WL 2
Fd = − 2
V
2 d
in which εr = relative permittivity of the dielectric material between the two plates
(see Table 2.2 for values of εr for common dielectric materials).
 Actuation Using Electrostatic Forces-Cont’d

● Electrostatic Force Parallel to Two Misaligned Electrically Charged Plates:

Fd
Fw

L FL
V d W

● Force in the “Width” direction:

1 r o L 2
Fw = − V
2 d
● Force in the “Length” direction:
1 r o W 2
FL = − V
2 d
 Applications of Microactuations

Microgrippers An essential component in microrobots in assembly microassemblies

and surgery

Two gripping methods:

Gripping Arms
Closing
The normal plate electrodes
V Electrodes the gap,d V - Not practical b/c requiring
more space.

The sliding plate electrodes

V V - Popular method. Can have
many sets to make “Comb drive”
actuators
Aligning the
electrodes,L
A Typical Microgripper with “Comb drive” Actuators:
400 µm

100 µm
Drive Arm

Arrangement of electrodes:
10 µm
V

Closure Arm

160
Drastic reduction in required
140
actuation voltage with increase
Required Voltage, v
120
of number of pairs of electrodes: 100
80
60
40
20
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Number of Electrode Pairs
 Applications of Microactuations

A niche market in mobile telecommunications and

Miniature Microphones
intelligent hearing aides

Acoustic Wave Input dB = unit of noise level:

(air pressure wave)
dB→ MPa
P 
Electrical signal output: dB = 20 log10  
Diaphragm:
≈ 1µm thick Backplate (≈2 µm)
Po 
Air gap (≈2 µm)
∆C
where P = Air pressure (Pa)
Acoustic holes Po = Reference air pressure
at threshold sound level
Pressure equalization hole

Most microphones are designed for 20-80 dB in the frequency range of 150-1000 Hz

A major challenge in MEMS microphone design and manufacture is the packaging

and integration of MEMS and CMOS integrated circuits for signal conditioning
and processing
 Applications of Microactuations

Micromotors

Unlike traditional motors, the driving forces for micro motors is primarily the parallel
electrostatic forces between pairs of misaligned electrically charged plates
(electrodes), as will be demonstrated in the following two cases:

Linear stepping motors:

● Two sets of electrodes in the form of plates separated by dielectric material

(e.g. quartz film).
● One electrode set is fixed and the other may slide over with little friction.
● The two sets have slightly different pitch between electrodes
Pitch:
W w+w/3 Step Movements
W/3
Moving set A’ B’ C’ D’
electrodes:
Dielectric material
Fixed set
electrodes: A B C D
W W
 Applications of Micro Actuations-Cont’d
Pitch:
W w+w/3 Step Movements
W/3
Moving set A’ B’ C’ D’
electrodes:
Dielectric material
Fixed set
electrodes: A B C D
W W

● Energize the set A-A’ will generate a force pulling A’ over A due to initial misalignment.

● Once A and A’ are aligned, the pair B and B’ become misaligned.

● Energize the misaligned B-B’ will generate electrostatic force pulling B’ over B.

● It is now with C’ and C being misaligned.

● Energize C’ and C will produce another step movement of the moving set over the
stationary set.

● Repeat the same procedure will cause continuous movements of the moving sets

● The step size of the motion = w/3, or the size of preset mismatch of the pitch
between the two electrode sets.
 Applications of Micro Actuations-Cont’d
Rotary stepping motors:

● Involve two sets of electrodes- one set for the rotor and the other for the stator.
● Dielectric material between rotor and stator is air.
● There is preset mismatch of pitches of the electrodes in the two sets.
 Applications of Microactuations-Cont’d

● Working principle of this rotary motor is similar to that in linear motors.

A micro motor produced by Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center, Germany:

Rotor
Gear for
Stator transmitting
torque
Microvalves

● A special microvalve designed by Jerman in 1990.

● Circular in geometry, with diaphragm of 2.5 mm in diameter x 10 µm thick.
● The valve is actuated by thermal force generated by heating rings.
● Heating ring is made of aluminum films 5 µm thick.
● The valve has a capacity of 300 cm3/min at a fluid pressure of 100 psig.
● Power consumption is 1.5 W.

Electric Resistance
Heating Rings
Flexible Silicon Diaphragm INLET FLOW

Silicon
Base

Constraint Base

FLOW OUTLET
Centerline
Micropumps
Electrostatically actuated micropump:

● An electrostatic actuated pump in 1992.

● The pump is of square geometry with 4 mm x 4mm x 25 µm thick.
● The gap between the diaphragm and the electrode is 4 µm.
● Pumping rate is 70 µL/min at 25 Hz.
Deformable
Silicon
Diaphragm

Electrode V

Pumping Chamber
Inlet
Check
Valve

Outlet
Check
Valve Constraint
Base

Low Pressure High Pressure

Fluid Inlet Fluid Outlet
 Microaccelerometers

● Accelerometers are used to measure dynamic forces associated

with moving objects.
● These forces are related to the velocity and acceleration of the moving
objects.
● Traditionally an accelerometer is used to measure such forces.
● A typical accelerometer consists of a “proof mass” supported by a spring and
a “dashpot” for damping of the vibrating proof mass:
The accelerometer is
attached to the vibrating
solid body

Spring
k

Mass
M Dashpot
with
damping
C
Vibrating
Solid Body
 Microaccelerometers-Cont’d
The accelerometer is
attached to the vibrating
solid body

●The instantaneous displacement of the mass

y(t) induced by the attached moving solid Spring
k

body is measured and recorded with respect Mass

to time, t. M Dashpot
with
damping
C
Vibrating
Solid Body
● The associated velocity, V(t) and the acceleration
α(t) may be obtained by the following derivatives:

dy(t) dy(t) d 2 y(t)

V (t) = and  (t) = =
dt dt dt 2
● The associated dynamic force of induced by the moving solid is thus obtained
by using the Newton’s law, i.e. F(t) = M α(t), in which M = the mass of the
moving solid.

♦ In miniaturizing the accelerometers to the micro-scale, there is no room for the

coil spring and the dashpot for damping on the vibrating mass.

♦ Alternative substitutes for the coil spring, dashpot, and even the proof mass
need to be found.
Microaccelerometers-Cont’d

● There are two types micro accelerometers available.

(1) The cantilever beam accelerometer:

Silicon Cantilever
Beam Piezoresistor

Mass, M
Casing

Constraint Base
Constraint Base

Vibrating Base

In this design: Cantilever beam = coil spring;

Surrounding viscous fluid = dashpot for damping of the proof mass

The movement of the proof mass is carried out by the attached piezoresistor.
 Microaccelerometers-Cont’d

(2) Balanced force micro accelerometer:

● This is the concept used in the “air-bag” deployment sensor in automobiles

● In this design: Plate beam = proof mass;

Two end tethers = springs
Surrounding air = dashpot

Stationary
electrodes
Moving electrode

● The movement of the proof mass is carried out by measuring the change of
capacitances between the pairs of electrodes.