Page 206 - Mechanics of Microelectromechanical Systems

4. Microtransduction: actuation and sensing 193

Figure 4.13 Two-beam thermal actuator: (a) original shape; (b) deformed shape

Figure 4.14 Geometry and loads resulting from thermal actuation and boundary supports

As a consequence‚ the two-beam thermal actuator can be qualified by the free
displacement at point 2 about the y-direction‚ and the bloc force‚
that needs to be applied at the same point in order to completely bloc
the actuator. Another qualifier that can be used to supplement characterizing
this actuator is the free rotation being produced through heating at the same
point 2. In order to achieve either of these tasks‚ it is necessary to find the
unknown reactions at the fixed end‚ and As previously done‚
they are found by solving the corresponding equations showing that the two
translations and the rotation are zero at that point. The respective