A separated MEMS thermal actuator is disclosed which is largely
insensitive to creep in the cantilevered beams of the thermal actuator.
In the separated MEMS thermal actuator, a inlaid cantilevered drive beam
formed in the same plane, but separated from a passive beam by a small
gap. Because the inlaid cantilevered drive beam and the passive beam are
not directly coupled, any changes in the quiescent position of the inlaid
cantilevered drive beam may not be transmitted to the passive beam, if
the magnitude of the changes are less than the size of the gap.