Hexastable MEMS Stage

We report on an in-plane moving, translational and rotary microstage with six stable configurations: Four ways of translation without rotation and two ways of rotation without translation. Four bistable elements that utilize a buckled beam are connected to the stage by pin-joint rigid rods, realizing different stage postures by the combination of the buckling states. The device fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator chip demonstrated the six stable configurations and their transition by electrical actuation. The device can benefit from controlled displacement held without external energy supply, facilitating opportunities for low power consumption applications.