Experimental Testing and Performance Comparisons between V - and Z-shaped Electrothermal Microactuators

This work presents comprehensive experimental studies on performance comparisons between V - and Z-shaped electrothermal microactuators. The V - and Z-shaped electrothermal microactuators are fabricated by depositing a copper layer on each side of SU-8 photoresist. The steady-state output displacement and dynamic responses of V - and Z-shaped actuators are compared based on experimental testing. In addition, a unique actuator with mixed V - and Z-shaped beams is designed and tested to further compare the force output capabilities of the V - and Z-shaped beams. Experimental data is acquired based on image processing, and a parallel spring model is proposed to analyze the experimental results. Comprehensive discussions are given to provide insights and guidance on the selection and design of the V - and Z-shaped electrothermal micoactuators.