CMOS drivable electrostatic microactuator with large deflection

A new type of low voltage (11.8 V), large deflection (245 /spl mu/m), electrostatic microactuator has been developed. Its performance was achieved by using several cantilevers connected in series and bending continuously. All of the cantilevers require the same low voltage to bend as one single cantilever does. Each cantilever has a straight beam section and a curved beam section. Experiments show that the length of both beam sections is important in order to decrease the driving voltage. The actuator has a large hysteresis and has a critical voltage which is required to drive it. This required voltage is low enough to allow a CMOS device to drive the actuator. Moreover, a small solar cell panel was able to supply the actuator with the necessary power to drive it.