摘要:
A first insulated planar metallic surface is formed under a surface of a substrate which is orientated a first way to an edge of the substrate. A Faraday shield is formed when a second insulated planar metallic surface is juxtaposed to and segregates the first insulated planar metallic surface from the remained of the substrate. The first way can be parallel or perpendicular forming either an edge or surface Coulomb island, respectively. Both planar surfaces can be charged either by mechanical contact or induced charging, Fowler-Nordheim and ion implantation. A Coulomb force is generated between two charged Coulomb islands each located on a different substrate. In addition, these Coulomb islands can also be used as capacitors to transfer signals between the substrates. The Faraday shield can be used to increase the Coulomb force while the potential applied to the shield can alter the Coulomb force.
摘要:
A reconfigurable system is described that can optimize the performance of the system. Substrates can be detached, levitated, moved, dropped and reattached as desired by the use of Coulomb forces generate between Coulomb islands. Thus, a system using a first set of substrates for a given frequency range can be exchanged with a second set of substrates operable at a different frequency range by the use of Coulomb forces. Making this exchange in an RF system can improve the selectivity and decrease the power dissipation of the system. One of the exchanges can involve inductor to shift the frequency of oscillation, for example. A control unit can be used to control the movement and replacement of all substrates. The formation of minimal energy potentials of Coulomb forces are determined to move a substrate over an underlying substrate.
摘要:
Vertical metallic contacts are provided along the edge of a plurality of substrates. The vertical metallic contact can range in area and large area contacts can be formed by layering metal traces with vias. The traces and vias should be placed near an edge of a substrate. An etch of the edge exposes the vertical metallic contact. Coulomb forces are used to attract the edge of two substrates together to establish a physical connection of the vertical metallic contacts. A shearing force can be applied to the common surface of the physical connection by using lateral Coulomb forces to break through any oxide layer. Finally, a corner substrate provides a metallic connection between an edge of a substrate and the circuitry in a planar surface of the substrate. Coulomb islands are used to generate the Coulomb forces.
摘要:
A LoC (Lab on a Chip) is described to analyze surface properties of fluid drops. Substrates with cavities near the edge are filled with fluids that have a contact angle greater than 90°. The surfaces of two different drops can be brought in contact with one another by using Coulomb forces. Several experiments can be carried out while the drops are in contact: the concentration of the fluid in each drop can be altered, tangential and normal forces can be applied to the contact surface, voltage differences across and current flow through the contact surface can be monitored. MEMS pumps can be used to mix reagents or buffers with the fluid to determine the protein concentration or to extract DNA from whole cells, respectively. Substrates holding optical components can be used to align fibers with either lasers or receivers. The alignment is automatic and controlled by a control unit.
摘要:
At least one non-volatile device is coupled to a first Coulomb island. The floating gates of these non-volatile devices are connected to the island and can charge the Coulomb islands. One device can charge the island positively while a second device can be used to charge the island negatively. The Coulomb island can have a small probe opening where a charge can be introduced by using mechanical means such as an external probe or a MEMS switch. A fully charged capacitor formed in a first substrate can provide additional energy to a levitated substrate if the first substrate is connected to the levitated substrate. Bonding wires can be attached to a substrate that is attached to a mother substrate. Then, Coulomb forces can levitate the substrate from the mother substrate and the bonding wires can provide a source of power to the levitated substrate.
摘要:
Coulomb islands are charged to create Coulomb forces which are applied between a first and second substrate. The Coulomb islands are used to levitate the first substrate over the second substrate into an equilibrium position. A processing unit monitors the values of capacitors formed between the substrates to provide feedback information to maintain the first substrate in this equilibrium position. The first substrate can be an accelerometer that can be used to calculate the direction and magnitude of a deceleration. The processing unit sends the digital information to a bus coupled to a plurality of air bags. The digital information identifies the appropriate air bags that need to be enabled to minimize the impact of a crash. Vertical changes in acceleration can also be detected making this invention applicable for flight vehicles.
摘要:
A substrate is levitated a first distance over a mother substrate when a first group of Coulomb islands are charged. A second group of Coulomb islands are charged and increase a separation to a second distance. When the magnitude of the potential of all Coulomb islands is decreased, the separation decreases from the second distance to the first distance. All potentials associated with the Coulomb islands have decreased yet the distance of separation equals to the first distance. Increasing the number of Coulomb islands in a substrate can reduce the magnitude of potentials applied to the Coulomb islands thereby reducing the concern of voltage stress.
摘要:
A movable substrate is placed over a bottom substrate where both substrates contain Coulomb islands. The Coulomb islands can be adjusted in charge and are used to develop a force between two opposing Coulomb islands. Information from sensors is applied to a control unit to control the movement of the movable substrate. Coulomb islands are formed in the juxtaposed edges of a first substrate and second substrate, respectively. The islands generate edge Coulomb forces. These edge Coulomb forces can be used to detach, repel, move, attract and reattach the edges of substrates into new configurations. One possibility is to combine a plurality of individual substrates into one large planar substrate.
摘要:
A system is described that can assemble substrates over one another to form a stacked substrate. The various layers of the stacked substrate can be separated from each other by using Coulomb forces. In addition, a beam substrate can be used to increase the separation. The instructions for assembly and a FSM (Finite State Machine) can be included in the stacked substrate to pave the way for a self-constructing 3-D automaton. The beam substrate can be used to carry heat, fluids, electrical power or signals between the various layers of the stacked cells besides providing a mechanical support. A stacked substrate can be assembled into a cylindrical coil, a transformer or a coupled transformer depending on the construction of the beam structure. The magnetic coupling of the transformer can be altered by changing the distance between the separated substrates.
摘要:
Coulomb forces are used to create various metallic shapes within substrates. These shapes are formed by coupling a plurality of substrates together where each substrate contains a metallic pattern. The substrates are assembled together on a mother substrate and the substrates can be positioned either parallel to a planar surface or perpendicular to an edge of the mother substrate. Thus, metallic shapes can be formed that are orthogonal to each other. Such a capability is a desirable feature for antenna construction. The various metal shapes can be used to construct: dipole, patch, Yagi, monopole, bow-tie, meanderline and MIMO antennas. Furthermore, the antenna can be reassembled to adjust the physical dimensions of the antenna while in the consumer product to better match the antenna to a different frequency band.