A quantitative analysis of Scratch Drive Actuator using buckling motion

Abstract

This paper presents a surface micromachined polysilicon actuator which employs an electrostatic driven Scratch Drive Actuator (SDA) to generate a force that can move an extemal object. The micro actuator consists of the SDA, a link frame and a buckling beam. Using this structure, generated forces of the SDA as a function of applied pulse peak voltages were measured. A typical generated force was 63 pN at +112 V pulse peak voltage. Indirect and direct methods of obtaining physical work from the micro actuator are presented. The actuator could lift 1 mg weight up at a height of about 100 pm from the wafer surface by the direct method. The total energy of this work was 1 nJ.