Full three-dimensional motion characterization of a gimballed electrostatic microactuator

Advanced testing methods for the dynamics of microdevices are necessary to develop reliable marketable microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The main purpose for MEMS testing is to provide feedback to the design-and-simulation process in an engineering development effort. This feedback should include device behavior, system parameters, and material properties. An essential part of more effective microdevice development is high-speed visualization of the dynamics of MEMS structures. We have developed and employed a full three-dimensional-motion-characterization system for MEMS to observe the response of a gimballed microactuator, a multi-degree-of-freedom microdevice.