{"id":{"repo_id":"maryland","oai_identifier":"oai:drum.lib.umd.edu:1903/14635"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/maryland/oai:drum.lib.umd.edu:1903/14635","repository":{"repo_id":"maryland","name":"University of Maryland","base_url":"https://api.drum.lib.umd.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"EXTREME VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT, HIGH FORCE, SILICON MICROSTAGE ZIPPER ACTUATORS","abstract":"Large vertical deflection, high force microactuators are desired in MEMS for a variety of applications. This thesis details a novel large-displacement electrostatic \"zipper\" microactuator capable of achieving hundreds of microns of out-of-plane deflection and delivering high forces, fabricated entirely from SOI (silicon-on-insulator). This technology is novel in its use of SiO<sub>2</sub> as both a high quality dielectric and the stressed layer of the bimorph. Geometries are explored analytically, numerically and experimentally to provide the greatest electromechanical output while constraining the device footprint to 1mm<super>2</super>. Device performance was benchmarked against previously established out-of-plane microactuators. We report the first instance of zipper-inspired electrostatic \"microstage\" actuators whose flat center stage and vertical actuation mode is ideal for carrying and moving a load. Fabricated microstages are capable of achieving out-of-plane deflections up to 1.2 mm, force outputs up to 1 mN, pull-in voltage as low as 20 V, and switching times of 1 ms.","abstract_html":"Large vertical deflection, high force microactuators are desired in MEMS for a variety of applications. This thesis details a novel large-displacement electrostatic &quot;zipper&quot; microactuator capable of achieving hundreds of microns of out-of-plane deflection and delivering high forces, fabricated entirely from SOI (silicon-on-insulator). This technology is novel in its use of SiO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; as both a high quality dielectric and the stressed layer of the bimorph. Geometries are explored analytically, numerically and experimentally to provide the greatest electromechanical output while constraining the device footprint to 1mm&lt;super&gt;2&lt;/super&gt;. Device performance was benchmarked against previously established out-of-plane microactuators. We report the first instance of zipper-inspired electrostatic &quot;microstage&quot; actuators whose flat center stage and vertical actuation mode is ideal for carrying and moving a load. Fabricated microstages are capable of achieving out-of-plane deflections up to 1.2 mm, force outputs up to 1 mN, pull-in voltage as low as 20 V, and switching times of 1 ms.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Felder, Jason"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["DeVoe, Don L"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013","date_published":"2013","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:02:20Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1903/14635","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["DeVoe, Don L"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Felder, Jason"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2013-10-10T05:33:17Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-10-10T05:33:17Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2013"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1903/14635"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Large vertical deflection, high force microactuators are desired in MEMS for a variety of applications. This thesis details a novel large-displacement electrostatic \"zipper\" microactuator capable of achieving hundreds of microns of out-of-plane deflection and delivering high forces, fabricated entirely from SOI (silicon-on-insulator). This technology is novel in its use of SiO<sub>2</sub> as both a high quality dielectric and the stressed layer of the bimorph. Geometries are explored analytically, numerically and experimentally to provide the greatest electromechanical output while constraining the device footprint to 1mm<super>2</super>. Device performance was benchmarked against previously established out-of-plane microactuators. We report the first instance of zipper-inspired electrostatic \"microstage\" actuators whose flat center stage and vertical actuation mode is ideal for carrying and moving a load. Fabricated microstages are capable of achieving out-of-plane deflections up to 1.2 mm, force outputs up to 1 mN, pull-in voltage as low as 20 V, and switching times of 1 ms."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["EXTREME VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT, HIGH FORCE, SILICON MICROSTAGE ZIPPER ACTUATORS"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["DeVoe, Don L"],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Felder, Jason"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2013-10-10T05:33:17Z"],"dc:date.available":["2013-10-10T05:33:17Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2013"],"dc:description.abstract":["Large vertical deflection, high force microactuators are desired in MEMS for a variety of applications. This thesis details a novel large-displacement electrostatic \"zipper\" microactuator capable of achieving hundreds of microns of out-of-plane deflection and delivering high forces, fabricated entirely from SOI (silicon-on-insulator). This technology is novel in its use of SiO<sub>2</sub> as both a high quality dielectric and the stressed layer of the bimorph. Geometries are explored analytically, numerically and experimentally to provide the greatest electromechanical output while constraining the device footprint to 1mm<super>2</super>. Device performance was benchmarked against previously established out-of-plane microactuators. We report the first instance of zipper-inspired electrostatic \"microstage\" actuators whose flat center stage and vertical actuation mode is ideal for carrying and moving a load. Fabricated microstages are capable of achieving out-of-plane deflections up to 1.2 mm, force outputs up to 1 mN, pull-in voltage as low as 20 V, and switching times of 1 ms."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1903/14635"],"dc:title":["EXTREME VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT, HIGH FORCE, SILICON MICROSTAGE ZIPPER ACTUATORS"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:02:20Z"}