@misc{VarlamovaReifStolzetal., author = {Varlamova, Olga and Reif, J{\"u}rgen and Stolz, Michael and Borcia, Rodica and Borcia, Ion-Dan and Bestehorn, Michael}, title = {Wetting properties of LIPSS structured silicon surfaces}, series = {The European Physical Journal B}, volume = {92}, journal = {The European Physical Journal B}, number = {5}, issn = {1434-6036}, doi = {10.1140/epjb/e2019-90672-2}, pages = {8}, abstract = {The controlled dynamics of liquid drops via generation of specific wetting states on a solid surface is of great interests both in the fundamental and applied sciences. Considering that the wettability is strongly dependent on the surface topography and surface roughness, we investigate - through experiments and theory - the effect of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) generated on silicon (100) targets as a control parameter of wetting properties. To obtain structured silicon surfaces with different morphological features, we patterned the surface by irradiation with femtosecond pulses from an amplified Ti:Sapphire laser system (790 nm/100 fs/1 kHz) at a fluence in the range of 0.4-1.2 J/cm2 on a spot with a diameter about of 100 μm. Variation of the applied irradiation dose results in surface modifications with the roughness about of a few tens of nanometers are ranging from regular LIPSS patterns with the lateral period of about 500-700 nm to complex agglomerations of 3-D microstructures with several-μm feature size. The theoretical study on the correlation of wetting properties with the surface topography has been performed within a phase field model. We found an excellent agreement of numerical results with experiments.}, language = {en} } @misc{ConradSchenkKaiseretal., author = {Conrad, Holger and Schenk, Harald and Kaiser, Bert and Langa, Sergiu and Gaudet, Matthieu and Schimmanz, Klaus and Stolz, Michael and Lenz, Miriam}, title = {A small-gap electrostatic micro-actuator for large deflections}, series = {Nature Communications}, journal = {Nature Communications}, number = {6}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms10078}, pages = {10078}, language = {en} } @misc{ConradKaiserGaudetetal., author = {Conrad, Holger and Kaiser, Bert and Gaudet, Matthieu and Langa, Sergiu and Stolz, Michael and Uhlig, Sebastian and Schimmanz, Klaus and Schenk, Harald}, title = {A novel electrostatic actuator class}, series = {Procedia Engineering}, volume = {168}, journal = {Procedia Engineering}, issn = {1877-7058}, doi = {10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.454}, pages = {1533 -- 1536}, language = {en} } @misc{LangaConradKaiseretal., author = {Langa, Sergiu and Conrad, Holger and Kaiser, Bert and Stolz, Michael and Gaudet, Matthieu and Uhlig, Sebastian and Schimmanz, Klaus and Schenk, Harald}, title = {Technological aspects of a new micro-electro-mechanical actuation principle: nano e-drive}, series = {Microsystem Technologies}, volume = {23}, journal = {Microsystem Technologies}, number = {1}, issn = {1432-1858}, doi = {10.1007/s00542-017-3360-6}, pages = {5697 -- 5708}, language = {en} } @misc{KaiserLangaEhrigetal., author = {Kaiser, Bert and Langa, Sergiu and Ehrig, Lutz and Stolz, Michael and Schenk, Hermann and Conrad, Holger and Schenk, Harald and Schimmanz, Klaus and Schuffenhauer, David}, title = {Concept and proof for an all-silicon MEMS micro speaker utilizing air chambers}, series = {Microsystems and Nanoengineering}, journal = {Microsystems and Nanoengineering}, number = {5}, issn = {2055-7434}, doi = {10.1038/s41378-019-0095-9}, pages = {11}, abstract = {MEMS-based micro speakers are attractive candidates as sound transducers for smart devices, particularly wearables and hearables. For such devices, high sound pressure levels, low harmonic distortion and low power consumption are required for industrial, consumer and medical applications. The ability to integrate with microelectronic circuitry, as well as scalable batch production to enable low unit costs, are the key factors benchmarking a technology. The Nanoscopic Electrostatic Drive based, novel micro speaker concept presented in this work essentially comprises in-plane, electrostatic bending actuators, and uses the chip volume rather than the its surface for sound generation. We describe the principle, design, fabrication, and first characterization results. Various design options and governing equations are given and discussed. In a standard acoustical test setup (ear simulator), a MEMS micro speaker generated a sound pressure level of 69 dB at 500 Hz with a total harmonic distortion of 4.4\%, thus proving the concept. Further potential on sound pressure as well as linearity improvement is outlined. We expect that the described methods can be used to enhance and design other MEMS devices and foster modeling and simulation approaches.}, language = {en} } @misc{KaiserSchenkEhrigetal., author = {Kaiser, Bert and Schenk, Hermann A. G. and Ehrig, Lutz and Wall, Franziska and Monsalve Guaracao, Jorge Mario and Langa, Sergiu and Stolz, Michael and Melnikov, Anton and Conrad, Holger and Schuffenhauer, David and Schenk, Harald}, title = {The push-pull principle: an electrostatic actuator concept for low distortion acoustic transducers}, series = {Microsystems \& Nanoengineering}, volume = {Vol. 8}, journal = {Microsystems \& Nanoengineering}, issn = {2055-7434}, doi = {10.1038/s41378-022-00458-z}, abstract = {Electrostatic actuators are of particular interest for microsystems (MEMS), and in particular for MEMS audio transducers for use in advanced true wireless applications. They are attractive because of their typically low electrical capacitance and because they can be fabricated from materials that are compatible with standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. For high audio performance and in particular low harmonic distortion (THD) the implementation of the push-pull principle provides strong benefits. With an arrangement of three electrodes in a conjunct moving configuration on a beam, we demonstrate here for the first time a balanced bending actuator incarnating the push-pull principle operating at low voltages. Our first design already exhibits a harmonic distortion as low as 1.2\% at 79 dB using a signal voltage of only 6 Vp and a constant voltage of only ±10 Vdc in a standard acoustic measurement setup. Thus, exceeding our previously reported approach in all three key performance indications at the same time. We expect that our novel electrode configurations will stimulate innovative electrostatic actuator developments for a broad range of applications. In this paper we report the basic theory, the fabrication and the performance of our novel actuator design acting as an audio transducer.}, language = {en} } @misc{MonsalveGuaracaoMelnikovStolzetal., author = {Monsalve Guaracao, Jorge Mario and Melnikov, Anton and Stolz, Michael and Mrosk, Andreas and Jongmanns, Marcel and Wall, Franziska and Langa, Sergiu and Marica-Bercu, Ioana and Br{\"a}ndel, Tim and Kircher, Marco and Schenk, Hermann A. G. and Kaiser, Bert and Schenk, Harald}, title = {Proof of concept of an air-coupled electrostatic ultrasonic transducer based on lateral motion}, series = {Sensors and Actuators A: Physical}, volume = {Vol. 345}, journal = {Sensors and Actuators A: Physical}, issn = {1873-3069}, doi = {10.1016/j.sna.2022.113813}, abstract = {An alternative implementation of an electrostatic MUT (Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer), relying on multiple beams that displace along the chip's surface instead of a single membrane displacing perpendicular to it, is presented in this work. With this approach, a design requiring a low bias voltage (24 V) and occupying a small area (3.3×3.3 mm², 2D/λ≈0.77) was shown to generate a sound pressure level of 82 dB (re. 20 µPa-rms) at 40 kHz and a distance of 8.9 cm. The high level of damping allows this transducer to operate in a wide frequency range (35-63 kHz). The operation of this device as an ultrasonic receiver was also proven. An implementation of this transducer as a rangefinder requires a strong reduction in the noise level, particularly coming from radio-frequency interference, in order to increase its detection range.}, language = {en} } @misc{GuaracoLangaStolzetal., author = {Guaraco, Jorge Mario Monsalve and Langa, Sergiu and Stolz, Michael and Mrosk, Andreas and Kaiser, Bert and Schenk, Harald}, title = {Design of micromachines under uncertainty with the sample-average approximation method}, series = {Journal of Advanced Mechanical Design, Systems, and Manufacturing}, volume = {18 (2024)}, journal = {Journal of Advanced Mechanical Design, Systems, and Manufacturing}, number = {2}, publisher = {Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers}, issn = {1881-3054}, doi = {10.1299/jamdsm.2024jamdsm0018}, language = {en} } @misc{MelnikovSchenkMonsalveGuaracaoetal., author = {Melnikov, Anton and Schenk, Hermann A. G. and Monsalve Guaracao, Jorge Mario and Wall, Franziska and Stolz, Michael and Mrosk, Andreas and Langa, Sergiu and Kaiser, Bert}, title = {Coulomb-actuated microbeams revisited: experimental and numerical modal decomposition of the saddle-node bifurcation}, series = {Microsystems \& Nanoengineering}, volume = {7}, journal = {Microsystems \& Nanoengineering}, number = {1}, issn = {2055-7434}, doi = {10.1038/s41378-021-00265-y}, abstract = {Electrostatic micromechanical actuators have numerous applications in science and technology. In many applications, they are operated in a narrow frequency range close to resonance and at a drive voltage of low variation. Recently, new applications, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microspeakers (µSpeakers), have emerged that require operation over a wide frequency and dynamic range. Simulating the dynamic performance under such circumstances is still highly cumbersome. State-of-the-art finite element analysis struggles with pull-in instability and does not deliver the necessary information about unstable equilibrium states accordingly. Convincing lumped-parameter models amenable to direct physical interpretation are missing. This inhibits the indispensable in-depth analysis of the dynamic stability of such systems. In this paper, we take a major step towards mending the situation. By combining the finite element method (FEM) with an arc-length solver, we obtain the full bifurcation diagram for electrostatic actuators based on prismatic Euler-Bernoulli beams. A subsequent modal analysis then shows that within very narrow error margins, it is exclusively the lowest Euler-Bernoulli eigenmode that dominates the beam physics over the entire relevant drive voltage range. An experiment directly recording the deflection profile of a MEMS microbeam is performed and confirms the numerical findings with astonishing precision. This enables modeling the system using a single spatial degree of freedom.}, language = {en} }