Shaped comb fingers for tailored electromechanical restoring force

Electrostatic comb drives are widely used in microelectromechanical devices. These comb drives often employ rectangular fingers which produce a stable, constant force output as they engage. This paper explores the use of shapes other than the common rectangular fingers. Such shaped comb fingers allo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of microelectromechanical systems 2003-06, Vol.12 (3), p.373-383
Main Authors: Jensen, B.D., Mutlu, S., Miller, S., Kurabayashi, K., Allen, J.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuators
Applied sciences
Computer simulation
Design engineering
Electronics
Electrostatics
Exact sciences and technology
Fabrication
Fingers
Fingers & toes
Hydraulic actuators
Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy
Mathematical models
Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques
Micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (mems/nems)
Microelectromechanical devices
Micromechanical devices and systems
Numerical simulation
Physics
Predictive models
Renovating
Resonant frequencies
Resonant frequency
Resonators
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Shape
Testing
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Description
Summary:Electrostatic comb drives are widely used in microelectromechanical devices. These comb drives often employ rectangular fingers which produce a stable, constant force output as they engage. This paper explores the use of shapes other than the common rectangular fingers. Such shaped comb fingers allow customized force-displacement response for a variety of applications. In order to simplify analysis and design of shaped fingers, a simple model is developed to predict the force generated by shaped comb fingers. This model is tested using numerical simulation on several different sample shaped comb designs. Finally, the model is further tested, and the use of shaped comb fingers is demonstrated, through the design, fabrication, and testing of tunable resonators which allow both up and down shifts of the resonant frequency. The simulation and testing results demonstrate the usefulness and accuracy of the simple model. Finally, other applications for shaped comb fingers are described, including tunable sensors, low-voltage actuators, multistable actuators, or actuators with linear voltage-displacement behavior.
ISSN:1057-7157
1941-0158
DOI:10.1109/JMEMS.2003.809948