Abstract:
The micromechanical device comprises a mobile beam attached via the two ends thereof to a rigid frame comprising two arms each having two ends. The ends of an arm are respectively secured to the two ends of the mobile beam. Each arm has a middle part arranged between the two ends of the corresponding arm. A rear face of the middle part of each arm is attached to a base support. The frame comprises at least one stressed element enabling the state of stress of the beam to be adjusted. The stressed element can be centered between the front face and the rear face of the corresponding arm. The frame can comprise pairs of front and rear stressed elements arranged facing one another respectively on the front face and on the rear face of the arms.
Abstract:
A microelectrical device comprising two generally parallel electrodes (20,21) at least one of which is movable, and at least one of the electrodes comprising a layer of a semiconductor presenting space charge characteristics. The electrodes have a closed position an open position. A spring effect biases the movable electrode (21) towards the open position. When the movable electrode (21) is closed by a first voltage pulse (P1) a sufficiently high space charge density (10) is generated to hold the movable electrode (21) closed. When zero voltage is applied the movable electrode (21) is held closed by the built in space charge until the application of a second voltage pulse (P2) which decreases the space charge in the semiconductor (10) to allow the movable electrode(s) to be moved to the open position by the spring effect.
Abstract:
An RF MEMS switch having asymmetrical spring rigidity. The RF MEMS switch has supporting members spaced apart in a certain interval on a substrate, a membrane being a motion member suspended by plural spring members extended on both sides of the membrane, and a bottom electrode being a contact surface on an upper surface of the substrate facing a bottom surface of the membrane, wherein the plural spring members placed on opposite sides of the membrane have asymmetrical rigidity, and a portion of the membrane on a side of stronger spring rigidity is first separated from the contact surface when the RF MEMS switch is turned off. The present invention has an advantage of easy separation of the switch from the contact surface, when the switch is turned off, due to the different rigidity of the springs located on the sides of the membrane.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an electrostatic microswitch which is intended to connect electrically two strip conductors which are disposed on an insulating support (21), the two strip conductors are connected electrically by conducting means (38) which are provided in the central part of deformable means (28) which can be deformed in relation to the support under the effect of an electrostatic force generated by control electrodes (25, 48; 26, 58). The control electrodes are distributed facing one another on the deformable means and the support, such as to form capacitive means around the aforementioned conducting means. The control electrodes are associated with insulating stop elements (35, 36) which are provided in order to prevent a short circuit between electrodes of the capacitive means during the deformation of the deformable means. The distance between the deformable means and the ends of the strip conductors is less than or equal to the distance between the insulating stop elements associated with the control electrodes and the control electrodes located opposite.
Abstract:
A phased-array antenna system and other types of radio frequency (RF) devices and systems using microelectromechanical switches (“MEMS”) and low-temperature co-fired ceramic (“LTCC”) technology and a method of fabricating such phased-array antenna system and other types of radio frequency (RF) devices are disclosed. Each antenna or other type of device includes at least two multilayer ceramic modules and a MEMS device fabricated on one of the modules. Once fabrication of the MEMS device is completed, the two ceramic modules are bonded together, hermetically sealing the MEMS device, as well as allowing electrical connections between all device layers. The bottom ceramic module has also cavities at the backside for mounting integrated circuits. The internal layers are formed using conducting, resistive and high-k dielectric pastes available in standard LTCC fabrication and low-loss dielectric LTCC tape materials.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical system includes separate conducting elements. An electromechanically deformable element can be switched between a first stable position and a second stable position. Contact elements allow for electrical continuity to be established between the separate conducting elements. Switch control elements ensure that the first deformable element switches so as to establish electrical continuity between the separate conducting elements in the second stable position, by contact between the contact elements, and to break electrical continuity by separating the contact elements in the first stable position. The separate conducting elements and the contact elements are carried by the deformable element.
Abstract:
A bistable structure provided by the invention is characterized as including a deflection element that has mechanically constrained end points and a compliant span between the end points that is substantially free to deflect between two stable positions when a force is applied at a point along the span. The deflection element span is provided, as-fabricated, curved in one of the two stable positions and in a mechanically unstressed condition along the length of the span. The as-fabricated curve of the deflection element span includes a curve maxima at a point along the span length that is at least about ¼ of the span length from the end points of the span. The deflection element span is constrained to substantially prohibit development of a second bending mode that is characteristic for the span as the element deflects between the two stable positions.
Abstract:
A micromechanical switch comprises a substrate, at least one pair of support members fixed to the substrate, at least one pair of beam members placed in proximity and parallel to each other above the substrate, and connected to one of the support members, respectively, each of the beam members having a moving portion which is movable with a gap with respect to the substrate, and a contact portion provided on the moving portion, and a driving electrode placed on the substrate between the pair of beam members to attract the moving portions of the beam members in a direction parallel to the substrate with electrostatic force so that the contact portions of the beam members which are opposed to each other are short-circuited.
Abstract:
A micro-electromechanical (MEM) resonator is described that includes a substrate, a microbridge beam structure coupled to the substrate and at least one electrode disposed adjacent to the microbridge beam structure to induce vibration of the beam. The microbridge beam structure includes support sections and a beam formed between the support sections. The center region of the beam has a mass that is less than the mass of regions of the beam adjacent to the support sections.
Abstract:
A micromechanical component includes a fixed micromechanical structure having at least two electrodes being formed of one or more conductive layers, and a movable micromechanical structure in a void or chamber forming a conductive switch element, for making an electrical contact between the electrodes with the aid of the switch element. The void or chamber can have a, for example, grid-shaped device for securing the switch element against falling out and/or a seal at the top. A microsystem with an integrated circuit and the micromechanical component, as well as a production process for the component and the microsystem, are also provided. The component and the circuit can therefore be produced simultaneously in a very simple manner.