New mechanism and dynamic control method of microelectrostatic actuator with three degrees of freedom

A simplified structure for a novel microelectrostatic actuator is proposed. The tip of a micromanipulator needs multiple degrees of freedom (DOF) for the dexterous manipulation; the proposed actuator can give 3 DOF, thus allowing the micromanipulator to accomplish versatile, skillful motions. The structure of the actuator is suitable for the photo-etching process. The modeling of the nonlinear dynamics of the actuator is shown; simulations of the motion of the actuator are carried out with a proposed nonlinear feedback control. Experimental results on the actuator motion are also presented