Thermal Analysis of MEMS Actuator Performance

Abstract

A MEMS based device consisting of microactuators was modeled using finite element analysis. The temperature profile of the complete package was obtained and compared to experimental measurements. Good agreement was found between the modeling and measurements. Parametric studies of potential design parameters of the chip package to decrease the power requirements to the actuators have been studied. Increasing the gap between the handle layer and the device layer of the SOI (silicon on insulator) chip from 2 to 3 microns resulted in a reduction of 10% (0.2 Watts) per beam of the actuator. A glass top chip proved to be better at reducing the power requirements for the actuators when compared to a silicon top chip. Modeling shows that relief cuts in the substrate had a larger effect on the power reduction compared to those on the top chip since the heat conduction path to the substrate is a lower resistance path. The power reduction was as high as 50% (1.1 Watts) per beam of the actuator, when the relief cut in the substrate was 50 microns.