Piezoelectric AlGaAs bimorph microactuators

Piezoelectric bimorph cantilever microactuators based on single-crystal Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As are demonstrated. Fabricated devices are characterized for their quasistatic and resonant behavior when driven in both unimorph and bimorph configurations. Quasistatic actuator behavior is compared with a simple analytic model. Measured unimorph and bimorph tip deflections match well with the model, with deviations resulting from imperfections in device geometry and electrical resistivity of the electrodes. The effects of bimorph actuation on linearity and structural damping at resonance are also evaluated.