Single mask and low voltage electrothermal micromotor

This paper introduces a single-mask-and-low-voltage electrothermal micromotor driven by four symmetrical V-shaped actuators and ratchet mechanism. The 2.5 mm-diameter micromotor has been fabricated successfully by using silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers and SOI-MEMS technology. The play of micromotor is tested under microscope and indicated that it operates quite smoothly. The actual rotation speeds (rpm) of the micromotor are examined with the driving frequencies range from 1 Hz to 15 Hz at a driving voltage of 12.5 V and compared with the calculation. Experimental results show that the theoretical and measured angular speeds are quite close while the applied frequencies are lower or equal to 10 Hz. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.