A FABRICATION PROCESS FOR ELECTROSTATIC MICROACTUATORS WITH INTEGRATED GEAR LINKAGES

A surface micromachining process is presented which has been used to f abricate electrostatic microactuators. These microactuators are interc onnected with each other and linked to other movable microstructures b y integrated gear linkages. The gear linkages consist of rotational an d linear gear structures, and the electrostatic microactuators include curved electrode actuators, comb-drive actuators, and axial-gap wobbl e motors, The micromechanical structures are constructed from polysili con. Silicon dioxide was used as a sacrificial layer, and silicon nitr ide was used for electrical insulation, A cyclohexane freeze drying te chnique was used to prevent problems with stiction, The actuators, loa ded with various mechanisms, were successfully driven by electrostatic actuation, The work is a first step toward mechanical power transmiss ion in micromechanical systems.