Tilting micromirror platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis

This study presents an electrically actuated tilting micro platform based on liquid dielectrophoresis with three axes movement using three droplets situated 120 degrees apart from each other. The interdigitated electrodes produce a non-uniform electric field that generates a body force. The dielectrophoretic mechanism is responsive within at least 30 ms, and it eliminates the solid-solid contact. The tilting platform enabled an angular coverage up to 0.9 degrees ( +/- 0.02 degrees), with a maximum displacement of 120 mu m. The tilting micromirror platform has beam steering characteristics suitable for various optical applications. The actuating platform sensor is a cost-effective and simple alternative method to study liquid dielectrophoresis without measuring the droplet contact angle. Furthermore, the unique configuration without any solid-solid contact offers a potential improvement for applications in optics, actuators, and other conventional microelectromechanical systems. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. CC_BY_4.0