A novel MUMPs-compatible single-layer out-of-plane electrothermal actuator

Microactuator is regarded as a key component in the field of MEMS (the microelectromechanical systems). According to the motion of the actuator, it can be classified as out-of-plane type and in-plane one. Most of the existing out-of-plane thermal actuators are multi-layer structures. In this study, a novel electrothermal single-layer out-of-plane actuator is presented. The characteristics of this device are stated as follows: (1) This actuator is consisted of only a single thin film layer, therefore, it can prevent from delaminating after a long-term operation. (2) The fabrication process is MUMPs (Multi-User MEMS Processes)-compatible, and it has the potential to integrate with many different micromachined components. (3) As demonstrated by the experiment, this device can be operated at a relatively low voltage (<5 volt), yet its deflection amplitude still can reach 4 mum. This structure offers the potential to apply in the adaptive optics systems, and Fabry-Perot filters, etc. Besides, it also provides an interface to cooperate with integrated circuits (IC) and various optical elements to construct an embedded-control optical system.