Rhombic-shaped thermal actuator array for evenly-distributed very large displacement

Abstract

This paper presents a design of thermal actuator array to generate evenly-distributed displacement by cascading an array of rhombic-shaped units. Such design is implemented to a tunable grating to tune the period by 61% and to produce a total displacement of 215 µm. Such design is scalable to the sub-wavelength level, making its very attractive to many tunable nano-photonic devices.

Variable Nano-Grating for Tunable Filters

“…The grating lines are attached to a rhombicshaped thermal actuator array developed recently [15] as shown in Fig. 4(b).…”

MEMS-based thermally-actuated image stabilizer for cellular phone camera

“…To overcome the disadvantages of electrostatic devices and VCMs and increase the output force, thermal actuators are designed to actuate the XY stage and perform an anti-shaking function [23]. Thermal actuators had been well developed in many applications, such as grating tuning by rhombic-shaped thermal actuator array [27], large displacement by SU8 thermal actuator [31], power efficiency increasing [32], fiber positioning assembly [33], a precisely position thermal actuator [34] and micro motors [35,36].…”