摘要:
A surface and/or bulk micromachined hermetically sealed cavity containing at least one suspended structure in a low pressure ambient, and the associated fabrication method. The cavity is bounded by a thin-film membrane and a substrate which may have a recess. The method can be used for the production, for example, of thermionic-emission vacuum tubes, gas filled tubes and electromechanical devices. In vacuum tubes the cathode is a suspended refractory filament. Other electrodes may also be suspended. In electromechanical devices the suspended members may be cantilever beams capable of low friction motion.
摘要:
The present invention provides a device for in-situ monitoring of material, process and dynamic properties of a MEMS device. The monitoring device includes a pair of comb drives, a cantilever suspension comprising a translating shuttle operatively connected with the pair of comb drives, structures for applying an electrical potential to the comb drives to displace the shuttle, structures for measuring an electrical potential from the pair of comb drives; measuring combs configured to measure the displacement of the shuttle, and structures for measuring an electrical capacitance of the measuring combs. Each of the comb drives may have differently sized comb finger gaps and a different number of comb finger gaps. The shuttle may be formed on two cantilevers perpendicularly disposed with the shuttle, whereby the cantilevers act as springs to return the shuttle to its initial position after each displacement.
摘要:
An integrated-circuit one-way isolation-coupler for a controlling electrical circuit and a controlled electrical circuit and improvements in carrier-domain magnetometers and other applications thereof. In the isolator a magnetic-field source, such as a flat coil, produces a magnetic field from current applied from the controlling circuit, while a detector such as a carrier-domain-magnetometer detects the magnetic field so produced and produces a signal therefrom. A dielectric medium, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride separates the source from the detector. The source, the detector, and the dielectric medium, are all incorporated on a single IC chip, such as silicon, or gallium arsenide, or semiconductor material. An amplifier may also be incorporated and may deliver the amplified signal to the controlled circuit. Preferably there are two carrier-domain-magnetometers located so that they are symmetrical with respect to the flat coil.
摘要:
A miniature diaphragm pressure transducer. A thin diaphragm of silicon nitride has an upper face covered by a zinc-oxide piezoelectric film encapsulated in chemical vapor deposited silicon dioxide. A series of annular, basically conentric, polysilicon electrodes are provided in the silicon dioxide between the piezoelectric film and the diaphragm and in contact with the piezoelectric film. A series of annular, basically concentric, aluminum electrodes are on the opposite side of the piezoelectric film from the polysilicon electrodes and are aligned with the polysilicon electrodes; they lie over the silicon dioxide, and are in contact with the piezoelectric film.
摘要:
A method and the product resulting from the method, for making a microminiature structure with two or more members measuring less than 1000 micrometers in any linear dimension and relatively movable to each other, comprising the steps of (a) providing a first sacrificial coating over a substrate having openings therethrough to expose a portion of the substrate, (b) depositing a first structural layer over the first sacrificial coating and the exposed portion of the substrate, with openings therethrough to expose a second portion of the substrate, (c) providing a second sacrificial coating over the second exposed portion of the substrate and said first structural layer, with openings through both the first and second sacrificial layers to expose a third portion of the substrate, (d) adding a second structural layer thereover and defining it, (e) possibly adding alternately other sacrificial coatings and other structural layers, and (f) etching the first and second and other sacrificial layers to remove them completely so that the two or more structural layers become movable relative to each other.
摘要:
Embodiments of the present invention provide structures for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that can be sensed, activated, controlled or otherwise addressed or made to respond by the application of forcing functions. In particular, an optical shutter structure suitable for use in an optical switch arrangement is disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical shutter or switch can be scaled and/or arranged to form arbitrary switch, multiplexer and/or demultiplexer configurations. In another embodiment of the present invention, an optical switch can include: a shutter; and a flexure coupled to the shutter, whereupon a vibration transmitted to the flexure when in the presence of a resonant frequency causes the shutter to move across an opening for the passage of an optical signal.
摘要:
A staggered torsional electrostatic combdrive includes a stationary combteeth assembly and a moving combteeth assembly with a mirror and a torsional hinge. The moving combteeth assembly is positioned entirely above the stationary combteeth assembly by a predetermined vertical displacement during a combdrive state. A method of fabricating the staggered torsional electrostatic combdrive includes the step of deep trench etching a stationary combteeth assembly in a first wafer. A second wafer is bonded to the first wafer to form a sandwich including the first wafer, an oxide layer, and the second wafer. A moving combteeth assembly is formed in the second wafer. The moving combteeth assembly includes a mirror and a torsional hinge. The moving combteeth assembly is separated from the first wafer by the oxide layer. The oxide layer is subsequently removed to release the staggered torsional electrostatic combdrive.
摘要:
A selectively actuatable microstructure is provided having a base, a cantilevered element supported by at least one mechanical attachment attached to the base which permits the element to change its orientation, and at least one layer of magnetically-active material placed on one or more regions of a surface of the cantilevered element. A selectively applied magnetic field can apply torque to the cantilevered element and cause it to move. A voltage source causes a Coulombic attractive force for holding the cantilevered element against movement in the presence of an applied magnetic field. A number of the selectively actuatable microstructures may be provided in an array so that each of the microstructures may be individually actuated by the selective switching of the corresponding voltage sources.
摘要:
An integrated-circuit one-way isolation-coupler for a controlling electrical circuit and a controlled electrical circuit and improvements in carrier-domain magnetometers and other applications thereof. In the isolator a magnetic-field source, such as a flat coil, produces a magnetic field from current applied from the controlling circuit, while a detector such as a carrier-domain-magnetometer detects the magnetic field so produced and produces a signal therefrom. A dielectric medium, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride separates the source from the detector. The source, the detector, and the dielectric medium, are all incorporated on a single IC chip, such as silicon, or gallium arsenide, or semi-conductor material. An amplifier may also be incorporated and may deliver the amplified signal to the controlled circuit. Preferably there are two carrier domain-magnetometers located so that they are symmetrical with respect to the flat coil.