Structure with thermal out-of-plane buckle-beam acuator

摘要

An out-of-plane thermal buckle-beam microelectrical mechanical actuator is formed on a planar substrate of semiconductor material (e.g., silicon). The actuator includes first and second anchors secured to the substrate and multiple elongated thermal buckle beams that are secured between the anchors. The buckle beams are formed of semiconductor material, such as polysilicon. In one implementation, the buckling beams are coupled together by a pivot frame that includes a frame base secured to each buckle beam and at least one pivot arm that is coupled to the frame base at one end and includes a free end that pivots out-of-plane when the actuator is activated. A cyclic current source directs cyclic electrical current through the thermal buckle beams via the anchors to impart thermal expansion of the buckle beams and hence a cyclic buckling motion of them out of the plane (i.e., away from) the substrate. In one implementation, the actuator has a characteristic resonant deflection frequency range and the cyclic current is of a first frequency within the resonant deflection frequency range.