Modeling of two-hot-arm horizontal thermal actuator

Abstract

Electrothermal actuators have a very promising future in MEMS applications since they can generate large deflection and force with low actuating voltages and small device areas. In this study, a lumped model of a two-hot-arm horizontal thermal actuator is presented. In order to prove the accuracy of the lumped model, finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental results are provided. The two-hot-arm thermal actuator has been fabricated using the MUMPs process. Both the experimental and FEA results are in good agreement with the results of lumped modeling.

Dimensional Analysis of a Hot-arm Actuator

“…Nonetheless, the independence of actuator deflection and Young's modulus appears not to be generally recognized, as exemplified by virtually all analytical studies of hot arm actuation reporting the values of E used in their respective models. (See [5]- [10], for example.) Most likely, the complexity of the models-usually consisting of several dozen simultaneous equations to be solved numerically-has obfuscated this fact.…”

“…Physical modelling of such devices poses many difficulties, one of the most significant being that the thermal, electrical, and mechanical domains are coupled with one another. Nonetheless, many researchers have produced models of varying complexity [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. In order to accommodate the large spatial variations in properties, the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software packages in such models is common [10], as are highly elaborate analytical models that solve for spatially distributed parameters, resulting in a large number of simultaneous equations [8]- [9].…”

Multiphysics modeling approach for micro electro–thermo–mechanical actuator: Failure mechanisms coupled analysis

“…Additionally, more researchers were interested in modeling method to obtain practical information before fabrication. Huang [5], Jiang [6,7] and Yan [8] and others explained an analytical model to provide an insight into operation of actuators, and to predict their performance with new designs. Those studies have concentrated on performance-improving design and manufacture of lETMA, ignoring their reliability/failure matters.…”

Characterization of an 2x2 SCB Optical Switch Integrated with VOA

“…The heat transfer behavior of similar designs has been solved analytically [6][7][8][9], but estimating thermo-elastic deformation is primarily accomplished through finite-element methods (FEM) [10][11][12][13][14]. In addition, the analytical model of the bi-stable curved beam is solved in [15].…”