Modal analysis and modeling of a frictionless electrostatic rotary stepper micromotor

We present the design, modeling and characterization of a 3-phase electrostatic rotary stepper micromotor. The proposed motor is a monolithic device fabricated using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. The rotor is suspended with a frictionless flexural pivot bearing and reaches an unprecedented rotational range of 30° (+/- 15°) at 65 V. We have established a mechanical model of the deformation structure and performed finite element analysis (FEA) simulations of the dynamic properties. These studies are consistent with the extensive experimental characterization performed in the quasi-static, transient, and dynamic regimes.