公开(公告)号：US06820988B2

公开(公告)日：2004-11-23

申请号：US10716841

申请日：2003-11-18

申请人： Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Nelson Kuan ,  Jeffrey P. Wilde

发明人： Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Nelson Kuan ,  Jeffrey P. Wilde

IPC分类号： G02B7182

CPC分类号： G02B26/0841

摘要： This invention provides method and apparatus for fabricating a MEMS apparatus having a bulk element with hinges underneath. The bulk element may comprise single-crystal silicon, fabricated by way of bulk micromachining techniques. The hinges may be made of thin-films, fabricated by way of surface micromachining techniques. A distinct feature of the MEMS apparatus of the present invention is that by disposing the hinges underneath the bulk element, the surface of the bulk element can be maximized and the entire surface becomes usable (e.g., for optical beam manipulation). Such a feature would be highly advantageous in making arrayed MEMS devices, such as an array of MEMS mirrors with a high optical fill factor. Further, by advantageously making use of both bulk and surface micromachining techniques, a MEMS mirror thus produced is equipped with a large and flat mirror along with flexible hinges, hence capable of achieving a substantial rotational range at modest electrostatic drive voltages.

公开(公告)号：US06695457B2

公开(公告)日：2004-02-24

申请号：US10159153

申请日：2002-05-31

申请人： Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Nelson Kuan ,  Jeffrey P. Wilde

发明人： Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Nelson Kuan ,  Jeffrey P. Wilde

IPC分类号： G02B7182

CPC分类号： G02B26/0841

摘要： This invention provides method and apparatus for fabricating a MEMS apparatus having a bulk element with hinges underneath. The bulk element may comprise single-crystal silicon, fabricated by way of bulk micromachining techniques. The hinges may be made of thin-films, fabricated by way of surface micromachining techniques. A distinct feature of the MEMS apparatus of the present invention is that by disposing the hinges underneath the bulk element, the surface of the bulk element can be maximized and the entire surface becomes usable (e.g., for optical beam manipulation). Such a feature would be highly advantageous in making arrayed MEMS device, such as an array of MEMS mirrors with a high optical fill factor. Further, by advantageously making use of both bulk and surface micromachining techniques, a MEMS mirror thus produced is equipped with a large and flat mirror along with flexible hinges, hence capable of achieving a substantial rotational range at modest electrostatic drive voltages.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于制造MEMS器件的方法和装置，其具有在下面具有铰链的块体元件。 本体元件可以包括通过体微加工技术制造的单晶硅。 铰链可以由通过表面微加工技术制造的薄膜制成。 本发明的MEMS装置的一个显着特征在于，通过将铰链设置在体元件下方，可以使块体元件的表面最大化，并且整个表面变得可用（例如，用于光束操纵）。 这样的特征在制造阵列MEMS器件（例如具有高光学填充因子的MEMS镜阵列）方面将是非常有利的。 此外，通过有利地利用本体和表面微加工技术，由此制造的MEMS反射镜与柔性铰链一起配备大型和平面镜，因此能够在适度的静电驱动电压下实现基本的旋转范围。

公开(公告)号：US06761420B2

公开(公告)日：2004-07-13

申请号：US10024963

申请日：2001-12-18

申请人： Nadim I. Maluf ,  Kirt R. Williams ,  Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Edward Nelson Fuller ,  Richard J. Barron

发明人： Nadim I. Maluf ,  Kirt R. Williams ,  Bert P. van Drieënhuizen ,  Edward Nelson Fuller ,  Richard J. Barron

IPC分类号： B60T836

CPC分类号： F16K99/0001 ,  B81B3/0024 ,  F15C5/00 ,  F16K99/0011 ,  F16K99/0044 ,  F16K2099/0074 ,  F16K2099/008 ,  F16K2099/0098 ,  Y10T137/0396

摘要： The present invention provides a proportional microvalve having a first, second and third layer, and having high aspect ratio geometries. The first layer defines a cavity with inlet and outlet ports. The second layer, doped to have a low resistivity and bonded between the first and third layers, defines a cavity having a flow area to permit fluid flow between the inlet and outlet ports. The second layer further defines an actuatable displaceable member, and one or more thermal actuators for actuating the displaceable member to a position between and including an open and a closed position to permit or occlude fluid flow. The third layer provides one wall of the cavity and provides electrical contacts for electrically heating the thermally expandable actuators. The thermal actuators and the displaceable member have high aspect ratios and are formed by deep reactive ion etching such that they are displaceable in the plane of the second layer while being very stiff out of the plane. Thus, both actuation and displacement of the displaceable member are in the plane of the layer.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供具有第一层，第二层和第三层并具有高纵横比几何形状的比例微型阀。 第一层限定具有入口和出口的空腔。 掺杂为具有低电阻率并且接合在第一和第三层之间的第二层限定了具有允许流体在入口和出口之间流动的流动面积的空腔。 第二层进一步限定可致动的可移动构件，以及一个或多个热致动器，用于将可移动构件致动到打开和关闭位置之间并包括打开位置和关闭位置，以允许或阻塞流体流动。 第三层提供腔的一个壁，并提供用于电加热可热膨胀致动器的电触点。 热致动器和可移位构件具有高纵横比，并且通过深反应离子蚀刻形成，使得它们可在第二层的平面中移位，同时非常刚性地离开平面。 因此，可移动构件的致动和位移都在该层的平面内。