Electrostatic Vibration with No Electrical Signal: Dynamic Actuation Driven by the Electron Beam

Abstract

In this work, we investigate electrostatic actuations generated by the electron beam of SEM (scanning electron microscope) while applying no voltage. Previous research mainly investigated chemical reactions and electrical operations driven by electron beam irradiation, while mechanical responses generated by the electron beam were rarely studied. The microactuator in this study consists of an electrically floating electrode and a movable electrode, thus electric charges accumulated by the electron beam in the floating electrode generate attractive force to the movable electrode that is electrically grounded. Dynamic vibrations were observed in the fabricated microactuators, and their characteristics were investigated in relation with microactuator designs and SEM operation conditions. This study can provide a basic guideline to show the interactions between the electron beam and device while also serving as a measurement tool to quantify charge accumulation phenomena in electron microscopes. © 2025 IEEE.