Linear Motion Microsystem Fabricated on a Silicon Wafer

Anisotropic etching can produce three-dimensional shapes that consist of specific crystal planes. This means that high geometrical accuracy can be expected, especially in parallelism and relative accuracy of specific angles. This paper describes the application of this process to a linear motion microsystem, in which both the guide and slider are produced by anisotropic etching of silicon. Minimum slider dimensions are 187 μm in length, 250 μm in width, and 450 μm in thickness. The geometrical accuracy was evaluated first. Then, the slider was driven by the two-directional vibration applied to the guide. The slider can be positioned with an accuracy of 2 μm with feedback control.