Comb drive

Summary

Comb-drives are microelectromechanical actuators, often used as linear actuators, which utilize electrostatic forces that act between two electrically conductive combs. Comb drive actuators typically operate at the micro- or nanometer scale and are generally manufactured by bulk micromachining or surface micromachining a silicon wafer substrate. The attractive electrostatic forces are created when a voltage is applied between the static and moving combs causing them to be drawn together. The force developed by the actuator is proportional to the change in capacitance between the two combs, increasing with driving voltage, the number of comb teeth, and the gap between the teeth. The combs are arranged so that they never touch (because then there would be no voltage difference). Typically the teeth are arranged so that they can slide past one another until each tooth occupies the slot in the opposite comb. Restoring springs, levers, and crankshafts can be added if the motor's linea

Official source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comb_drive

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Linear micromirror array for broadband femtosecond pulse shaping in phase and amplitude

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We are developing a linear array of micromirrors designed for optical, femtosecond laser pulse shaping. It is a bulkmicromachined device, capable of retarding or diminishing certain laser frequencies in order to perform phase and amplitude modulation within a frequency band spanning the UV to the near-infrared. The design consists of a linear array of mirrors fixed on either side by springs. They feature two degrees of freedom: Out-of-plane motion for phase shifting and rotational motion for binary amplitude modulation, both realized using vertical comb drives. The first applications will include femtosecond discrimination experiments on biomolecules.

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We present the concept and design, and we report on the experimental performance of a broadband Variable Optical Attenuator (VOA) for integration with large-core rectangular multimode waveguides. Operation of an individual 221 mu m x 111 mu m optical waveguide channel employing a MEMS actuated dual-shutter to continuously modulate the intensity of the optical input signal is demonstrated experimentally. The MEMS actuated dualshutter is fabricated in a 211 mu m thick device layer of a Silicon-On-Insulator wafer by Deep Reactive Ion Etching. Electrostatic comb drive actuators allow a displacement of more than 63 mu m at 86 V, resulting in a continuously tunable attenuator efficiency of up to 99.97% at an operating wavelength of 532 nm with a reconfiguration time < 0.5 ms.

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Smart Slit Assembly Employing Continuously Tunable MEMS Shutter

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We present the concept and detailed design of a Smart Slit Assembly for next generation spectrometers, and we experimentally demonstrate operation of an individual 221 mu m x 111 mu m smart slit channel employing a MEMS actuated shutter to continuously modulate the intensity of the optical input signal. The MEMS actuated shutter is fabricated in a 211 mu m thick device layer of a Silicon-On-Insulator wafer by Deep Reactive Ion Etching. Electrostatic comb drive actuators allow an absolute displacement of 52 mu m at 74 V, resulting in a continuously tunable shutter efficiency of up to 99.97% at an operating wavelength of 532 nm.

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