Electrothermal quadmorph microactuator
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United States of America Patent
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Jan 20, 2004
Grant Date -
N/A
app pub date -
Jan 31, 2002
filing date -
Jan 31, 2002
priority date (Note) -
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Abstract
In a microactuator having substantially parallel beams, the free ends of the beams are detached from the substrate and rigidly interconnected with one another. Differential thermal expansion of the beams causes deflection of the free ends as a unit laterally away from the thermally expanded beam. Depending on the choice of thermally expanded beam, the deflection can be either in or out of the plane parallel to the substrate. Selective heating is achieved for example by passing electric current through a pair of beams in series. Each beam has an independent electrical contact pad at the base end, and all beams are connected together electrically at the free end. A voltage is applied across the selected beam pads, whereas the non-selected beam pads are disconnected. Multiple microactuators can be combined cooperatively, e.g., to move a stage in a plurality of directions.
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