Integrated silicon-polymer laterally stacked bender for sensing microgrippers

Abstract

This paper presents a novel electro-thermal microgripper based on integrated silicon-polymer laterally stacked microactuators. The device consists of a serpentine-shape deep silicon structure with a thin film aluminum heater on the top and filling polymer in the trenches among the vertical silicon parts. The fabrication is based on deep reactive ion etching of silicon, aluminum sputtering and SU8 filling. The actuator is 500 µm long, 65 µm wide and 50 µm high. The microgripper generates a large motion up to 52 µm at a driving voltage of only 2 V and with a power consumption of 50 mW. The maximum working temperature is 164 degrees Centigrade at 2 V.