ABSTRACT
Potential actuator configurations capable of generating higher actuation forces are discussed. Preliminary studies performed by the author on various actuators indicate that the widely used parallel-plate (PP) configuration may generate an actuation force by an order of magnitude greater than that of the interdigitated configuration, in addition to minimum cost and complexity. This leads to a conclusion that a PP actuator configuration is best suited for applications demanding a large output force over small displacements as in the case of hard-disk drives (HDDs).
