An Electro-Thermally Actuated Microgripper Based Silicon as Structural Material for Micromanipulation
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Microgrippers are miniature Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices designed to manipulate, grip, or transport elements at micro/nanoscale dimensions. They are extensively employed in micro-manipulation tasks, microassembly, microelectronics, nanotechnology, and biomedical applications. In this study, an electro-thermally actuated microgripper featuring in-plane motion is examined with the aim of fabrication utilizing silicon as the structural material, employing surface micromachining techniques. The study encompassed the design, numerical simulations, characterization, and experimental fabrication of the microgripper device. Electro-thermo-mechanical finite element method (FEM) simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics software to evaluate the device's performance. A comparative analysis was performed to assess the effects of different thicknesses of the silicon structural layer on the microgripper's performance, with results systematically presented. The findings indicate that the microgripper achieves a low actuation voltage/current (less than 8 V and 80 mA), along with a substantial in-plane opening exceeding$117 \mu ~\mathrm{m}$, and minimal out-of-plane displacements, which remain below$0.25 \mu \mathrm{m}$. Furthermore, a comparison between the simulated results and experimental measurements was provided, focusing on the displacement of the microgripper tips during actuation. The intention of this research includes evaluating the feasibility of employing low-resistivity silicon as a structural material for microgrippers, as well as exploring its potential as a cost-effective material for MEMS fabrication with applications in micromanipulation domains
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7223003844