MEMS Actuators and Sensors 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Micro- actuators are an essential part of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). During the last two decades they benefit from the significant technological progress in micro-electronics and micro-system technology similar to MEMS sensors using also silicon as the common material for MEMS actuators. Due to miniaturization cost reduction, high positioning speed, low power consumption, friction free operation and high reliability can realized for MEMS actuators. By combining actuator mechanisms, sensors for position feedback and micro electronic circuitry complete highly miniaturized servo mechanism and mechatronic systems can be realized on the same chip at low cost. An increasing number of applications have been realized for MEMS actuators. Examples are electrostatic MOEMS for optical applications, like micro-scanning mirrors used nowadays in solid state LIDAR systems for autonomous navigation, spectral tunable QCL-laser sources or highly miniaturized NIR spectrometers. Fluidic MEMS actuators are developed for pumps and valves for medical drug delivery and lab on chip systems. Today, electrostatic out-of plane comb drive MEMS actuators are widely-used. But actual developments for CMOS compatible piezoelectric actuators (e.g. based on AlNi or AlScNi) are highly attractive to lower driving voltage and power consumption. Significant in-plane deflections can be realized by means of a novel class of electrostatic NED actuators interesting for future use in acoustic (loud speaker) or micro-fluidic (micro-pump) applications. Due to low-damping of non-fluidic MEMS actuators a sophisticated closed lope position control is essential for practical applications. Even silicon is the dominate other materials are also interesting for novel MEMS actuators like smart hydrogels or shape memory alloys.

The objective of this Special Issue is to present actual and significant work in the field of MEMS actuators: authors from academia and industry are kindly invited to share their research innovations in this field. We welcome review articles and original research papers aiming to the related key issues of basic research, device and technology development, system integration and practical application of MEMS actuators.

This Special Issue invites contributions in the following topics, but is not limited to:

• Novel MEMS device concepts and actuation principles of micro-actuators:  e.g. electrostatic, electromagnetic, piezo-electric, thermal, pneumatic, leviation
• Closed loop control and sensing of resonant and non-resonant MEMS driving
• Optical MEMS; e.g. micro-scanning mirrors, spatial light modulators, Fabry-Perot-filter
• Acoustical MEMS: e.g. MEMS loudspeaker based on NED actuation
• MEMS for fluidic and pneumatic MEMS; e.g. micro valves and pumps, ink print heads
• Novel materials and MEMS fabrication technologies for micro-actuators: e.g. CMOS compatible piezoelectric MEMS based on AlNi or AlSrNi; smart hydrogel actuator, shape memory alloy based micro-actuators
• Practical application of micro-actuators:  e.g. MOEMS based solid state LiDAR used for autonomous driving, tunable lasers, miniaturized NIR spectrometer; fluidic MEMS actuators for bio-medical applications in diagnostics and lab-on-chip
• Review article on MEMS-actuators, their technology progress and application landscape

This special issue is focused more on actuators. Papers focus on Sensors may choose our joint Special Issue in Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220).

Dr. Thilo Sandner
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• micro-mechanical actuator
• MEMS
• MOEMS
• micro-mirror
• spatial light modulator
• micro scanning mirror
• resonant and non-resonant MEMS driving control
• acoustical MEMS
• microfluidic and hydraulic micro-actuators
• CMOS compatible MEMS actuators