A micromotion amplifier

A micromotion amplifier has been designed and characterized. Large displacements are produced when long beams are buckled by an axial loading actuator motion of 1-2 /spl mu/m. This buckling amplifies the small displacement and generates motions on the order of 100 /spl mu/m. The displacement is stabilized by proper choice of asymmetry in the buckling beams. Devices based on this method have been designed, fabricated and successfully tested to have substantial displacements. Theoretical modeling and finite element method (FEM) analysis predicted the relation between the loading actuator motion and the amplified motion.