An explicit drive algorithm for aiding the design of firing sequence in side-drive micromotor

Finite element analysis (FEA) is used to design the rotor–stator layout and the driving algorithm for electrostatic-actuated side-drive micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micromotor. FEA is performed to calculate the generated torque when voltage is applied to a single stator pole of the micromotor. A quasi-static approach is then adopted to model the operation of the entire micromotor. The approach rotates the rotor based on the torque estimated by extrapolating the earlier FEA result for a single stator pole. This enables a fast and accurate enough way to model the performance of the rotor–stator layout and the micromotor drive algorithm. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.