Simulation of a Polyimide Based Micromirror

A. Arevalo[1], S. Ilyas[2], D. Conchouso[1], I. G. Foulds[1,3]
[1]Computer, Electrical & Mathematical Sciences & Engineering Division (CEMSE), King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
[2]Physical Sciences & Engineering (PSE), King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
[3]School of Engineering, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Published in 2014

The simulation of a micromirror using polyimide as the structural material is presented. The simulation was used to verify the initial design parameters and to explore the different characteristics of the electromechanical device. For simulation simplicity the electrodes are integrated as part of the structural layer. The device thickness is 6 μm while the electrodes are 300 nm thick. For the actuation of the device, three different configurations of input voltage are simulated to extract the device characteristics. Due to the difference in electrode area size the structure will have a torsion that will deform the cantilever to the larger area electrode side. Using this principle, we could control the tilt of the micro-mirror depending on the input voltage.