Comparative analysis of microactuators fabricated by femtosecond and nanosecond laser micromachining

Laser micromachining technology is a cost-effective microfabrication technique for prototyping and in some cases batch production of miniature components and microdevices with complex geometries requiring high accuracy and precision. The objective of this paper is to analyze experimentally the effect of the laser micromachining process and its parameters, particularly, the pulse duration, on the characteristics of the fabricated functional microdevices. This was achieved through the microfabrication of two electro-thermally driven in-plane microactuators using a femtosecond and a nanosecond pulse laser. The dynamic/static performance of the microactuators was compared with respect to the required current/power and generated actuation force/displacement and the geometric quality of the machining.