Angular vertical comb actuators assembled on-chip using in-plane electrothermal actuators and latching mechanisms

We have designed, fabricated and tested self-aligned angular vertical comb-drive (AVC) actuators by on-chip assembly using in-plane electrothermal actuators and latching mechanisms. The on-chip assembly process is carried out by engaging latching mechanism connected to the torsion bars through the off-centered thinned down silicon beams. When the latching mechanism is fully engaged, the assembled AVC actuator forms permanent initial tilt angle by the retraction force of electrothermal actuators. The AVC actuators and latching mechanisms are fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer using three photomasks and three times of deep etch steps. The maximum optical scan angle of 30.7° is achieved at 4.56 kHz under the sinusoidal driving voltage of 0–80 V applied to the AVC actuator. After the reliability test performed by operating the actuator for 1.6 × 108 cycles at its resonance, the measured optical scan angle variation and resonant frequency change were within 1.1% and 8 Hz, respectively, and the robustness of the latched mechanism was ensured.