Fast electrothermally activated micro-positioner using a high-aspect-ratio micro-machined polymeric composite

Lau, Gih Keong; Yang, Jun; Thubthimthong, Borriboon; Chong, N. B.; Tan, Crystal Tze Ying; He, Zhimin

doi:10.1063/1.4737644

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The material properties used in the present models are summarized in Table I, which are based on the data available in the literatures. 22,23,25,26 Due to the small size of the microheater, in our analysis, the heat conduction through the substrate dominated the micro-heater heat loss while the heat convection and heat radiation losses can be negligible. 26 Simulation results showed that a stroke of about 4.573 lm can be obtained when 6 V driving voltage was applied to the microheater of the PTAA unit, as shown in Fig.…”

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confidence: 89%

“…Also, SU-8 has a high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE 150 Â 10 À6 /K, almost 60 times larger than that of silicon, 2.6 Â 10 À6 /K), which is very suitable to be used as a thermal expansion material. [22][23][24] Hence, an out-of-plane micro-force function generator (MFFG) is fabricated based on polymeric thermal actuators array (PTAA), which is capable of producing large displacement at low driving voltage (CMOS comparative voltage). Also, special microdeformation of MEMS substrate can be modified or realized by this out-of-plane MFFG.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Out-of-plane micro-force function generator based on polymeric thermal actuators for modifying micro-deformation

Wang

Xiao

et al. 2013

Applied Physics Letters

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Many micro-electro-mechanical multilayered structures are always subject to residual stress and cause deformation easily. The induced mechanical deformation will directly affect the performance of these devices. To improve the performance, this deformation should be controlled or eliminated. This letter proposed an out-of-plane micro-force function generator by employing polymer SU-8 thermal actuators array to modify the out-of-plane micro-deformation. The electro-thermal actuator tends to have relatively large displacement in actuation direction at low driving voltage (reaching as high as 2.94 μm in actuation direction at 6 V), and this proposed micro-force function generator is able to achieve accurate modifying of out-of-plane micro-deformation.

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confidence: 89%

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confidence: 99%

Out-of-plane micro-force function generator based on polymeric thermal actuators for modifying micro-deformation

Wang

Xiao

et al. 2013

Applied Physics Letters

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“…2 Simulated displacements and frequencies varying with the beam width design with 20μm beam width is an improved design that can result in an actuation stroke larger than 100nm and a mechanical resonance frequency above 30 kHz. This new micro-actuator design with a slender side beam (w b =20μm) was fabricated using the reported fabrication process (Lau et al 2012. Figure 4 shows the optical micrographs of a silicon die carrying the thermal micro-actuator.…”

Section: Design Considerationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved design of polymeric composite electrothermal micro-actuator for high track density hard disk drives

et al. 2013

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“…For these steps, the process simplicity and flexibility are determined by the selection of the sacrificial layers. The processing flow depicted in Figure 1 can be used for non-photosensitive polymeric sacrificial layers, metallic sacrificial layers or silicic ones [2,[13][14][15][16][17]. Other photoresist types can be used as sacrificial layers [6,8,18,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Simple and Robust Fabrication Process for SU-8 In-Plane MEMS Structures

Cretu

2020

Micromachines

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In this paper, a simple fabrication process for SU-8 in-plane micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) structures, called "border-bulk micromachining", is introduced. It aims to enhance the potential of SU-8 MEMS structures for applications such as low-cost/disposable microsystems and wearable MEMS. The fabrication process is robust and uses only four processing steps to fabricate SU-8 in-plane MEMS structures, simplifying the fabrication flow in comparison with other reported attempts. The whole fabrication process has been implemented on copper-polyimide composites. A new processing method enables the direct, laser-based micromachining of polyimide in a practical way, bringing in extra processing safety and simplicity. After forming the polymeric in-plane MEMS structures through SU-8 lithography, a copper wet etching masked by the SU-8 structure layers is carried out. After the wet etching, fabricated in-plane MEMS structures are suspended within an open window on the substrate, similar to the final status of in-plane MEMS devices made from industrial silicon micromachining methods (such as SOIMUMPS). The last step of the fabrication flow is a magnetron sputtering of aluminum. The border-bulk micromachining process has been experimentally evaluated through the fabrication and the characterization of simple in-plane electrically actuated MEMS test structures. The characterization results of these simple test structures have verified the following process qualities: controllability, reproducibility, predictability and general robustness.Micromachines 2020, 11, 317 2 of 16 process to form microstructures, with its simplicity leading to a low fabrication cost, while SU-8 has better mechanical properties and chemical stability, in comparison with other photoresists [3,4]. For the fabrication of both out-of-plane and in-plane SU-8 electrostatic MEMS structures, the most commonly used fabrication flow is layer-by-layer surface micromachining [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. The generic schematic of a layer-by-layer SU-8 micromachining process is illustrated in Figure 1.Micromachines 2020, 11, x 2 of 17The fabrication cost, speed and process simplicity are vital to polymeric MEMS structures and their applications. This explains why SU-8 series negative photoresist has been advantageous and popular as structural layers for polymeric MEMS devices. Such processes require only a single lithography process to form microstructures, with its simplicity leading to a low fabrication cost, while SU-8 has better mechanical properties and chemical stability, in comparison with other photoresists [3,4]. For the fabrication of both out-of-plane and in-plane SU-8 electrostatic MEMS structures, the most commonly used fabrication flow is layer-by-layer surface micromachining [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. The generic schematic of a layer-by-layer SU-8 micromachining process is illustrated in Figure 1.

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Fast electrothermally activated micro-positioner using a high-aspect-ratio micro-machined polymeric composite

Cited by 10 publications

References 16 publications

Out-of-plane micro-force function generator based on polymeric thermal actuators for modifying micro-deformation

Out-of-plane micro-force function generator based on polymeric thermal actuators for modifying micro-deformation

Improved design of polymeric composite electrothermal micro-actuator for high track density hard disk drives

A Simple and Robust Fabrication Process for SU-8 In-Plane MEMS Structures

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