CMOS electrothermal microactuators

Author

Parameswaran, M. ; Ristic, Lj. ; Chau, K. ; Robinson, A. ; Allegretto, W.

Author_Institution

Alberta Univ., Edmonton, Alta., Canada

fYear

1990

fDate

11-14 Feb 1990

Firstpage

128

Lastpage

131

Abstract

Fabrication of electrothermal microactuators using a commercial CMOS technology is presented. The effect of differential thermal expansion of adjacent insulating layers is used to produce the mechanical deflection. The field oxide and CVD oxide of the CMOS process form the micromechanical structure. A heating element required to raise the temperature is formed by the polysilicon layer available in the CMOS process. A typical cantilever microactuator exhibits an elastic deflection of 4 μm above the chip surface, and a suspended plate microactuator 1 μm above the chip surface. Maximum frequency response is measured at 1.5 kHz and 2.0 kHz for the cantilever and the suspended plate microactuators, respectively

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; chemical vapour deposition; electric actuators; CMOS technology; CVD oxide; cantilever microactuator; differential thermal expansion; elastic deflection; electrothermal microactuators; field oxide; frequency response; heating element; insulating layers; mechanical deflection; polysilicon layer; suspended plate microactuator; CMOS process; CMOS technology; Electrothermal effects; Fabrication; Heating; Insulation; Microactuators; Micromechanical devices; Temperature; Thermal expansion;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 1990. Proceedings, An Investigation of Micro Structures, Sensors, Actuators, Machines and Robots. IEEE

Conference_Location

Napa Valley, CA

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MEMSYS.1990.110263

Filename

110263