TY - JOUR
T1 - The Thermal Time Constant of an Electrothermal Microcantilever Resonator
AU - Zarog, Musaab
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Bentham Science Publishers. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: The thermal time constant is the core parameter for determining the dynamic response of the electrothermal actuators and the corresponding maximum operational frequency. Aim: Since it is necessary to determine how the thermal actuation occurs within the cantilever, this pa-per presents two models for the thermal time constant of bimetal microcantilevers. One model is based on the bimetallic effect, and the second is based on temperature gradients in layers. Methods: In order to investigate and check the validity of the two proposed models, the device was actuated electrothermally, and the thermal time response was estimated. A driving voltage was applied to the platinum electrode. The first model is based on the interface thermal resistance between the base and the top electrode layer. The second model assumes that the temperature gradients within the base layer are responsible for thermal actuation. Results: The microcantilever was excited electrothermally with a resonance frequency of 1.89 MHz. The bimetallic effect was found to be less able to stimulate the microcantilever at this resonance fre-quency. Therefore, it was concluded that thermal actuation occurred as a result of temperature variation within the SiC base layer. Conclusion: The results also indicated that temperature variations within one of the two materials in contact might be responsible for thermal actuation, especially if the material has high thermal conductivity.
AB - Background: The thermal time constant is the core parameter for determining the dynamic response of the electrothermal actuators and the corresponding maximum operational frequency. Aim: Since it is necessary to determine how the thermal actuation occurs within the cantilever, this pa-per presents two models for the thermal time constant of bimetal microcantilevers. One model is based on the bimetallic effect, and the second is based on temperature gradients in layers. Methods: In order to investigate and check the validity of the two proposed models, the device was actuated electrothermally, and the thermal time response was estimated. A driving voltage was applied to the platinum electrode. The first model is based on the interface thermal resistance between the base and the top electrode layer. The second model assumes that the temperature gradients within the base layer are responsible for thermal actuation. Results: The microcantilever was excited electrothermally with a resonance frequency of 1.89 MHz. The bimetallic effect was found to be less able to stimulate the microcantilever at this resonance fre-quency. Therefore, it was concluded that thermal actuation occurred as a result of temperature variation within the SiC base layer. Conclusion: The results also indicated that temperature variations within one of the two materials in contact might be responsible for thermal actuation, especially if the material has high thermal conductivity.
KW - heat transfer
KW - MEMS
KW - microactuators
KW - resonance frequency
KW - thermal actuation
KW - thermal contact resistance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169468086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85169468086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/1876402914666220622104104
DO - 10.2174/1876402914666220622104104
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85169468086
SN - 1876-4029
VL - 15
SP - 102
EP - 107
JO - Micro and Nanosystems
JF - Micro and Nanosystems
IS - 2
ER -