7860results about "Microelectromechanical systems" patented technology

Methods of positioning and orienting nanostructures, and particularly nanowires, on surfaces for subsequent use or integration. The methods utilize mask based processes alone or in combination with flow based alignment of the nanostructures to provide oriented and positioned nanostructures on surfaces. Also provided are populations of positioned and/or oriented nanostructures, devices that include populations of positioned and/or oriented nanostructures, systems for positioning and/or orienting nanostructures, and related devices, systems and methods.

A method of forming a periodic array of nano-scale objects using a block copolymer, and nano-scale object arrays formed from the method are provided. The method for forming the arrays generally includes the steps of depositing a block copolymer of at least two blocks on a substrate to form an ordered meso-scale structured array of the polymer materials, forming catalytic metal dots based on the meso-scale structure, and growing nano-scale objects on the catalytic dots to form an ordered array of nano-scale objects.

A structure of an interference display cell is provided. The cell comprises a first plate and a second plate, wherein a support is located between the first plate and the second plate. The second plate is a deformable and reflective plate. An incident light from one side of the first plate is modulated and only specific frequency light reflects by the second plate. The frequency of the reflected light is related to the distance between the first plate and the second plate. The support has at least one arm. The arm's stress makes the arm hiking upward or downward. The distance between the first plate and the second plate is also changed. Therefore, the frequency of the reflected light is altered.

A first electrode and a sacrificial layer are sequentially formed on a substrate, and then first openings for forming supports inside are formed in the first electrode and the sacrificial layer. The supports are formed in the first openings, and then a second electrode is formed on the sacrificial layer and the supports, thus forming a micro electro mechanical system structure. Afterward, an adhesive is used to adhere and fix a protection structure to the substrate for forming a chamber to enclose the micro electro mechanical system structure, and at least one second opening is preserved on sidewalls of the chamber. A release etch process is subsequently employed to remove the sacrificial layer through the second opening in order to form cavities in an optical interference reflection structure. Finally, the second opening is closed to seal the optical interference reflection structure between the substrate and the protection structure.

A deformable mirror includes a vertical comb actuator having a reflective surface attached thereto. The vertical comb drive includes stationary elements interspersed with moving elements. When a potential difference is provided between these elements, the moving elements are pulled downward, thereby deforming the reflective surface. The vertical comb drive typically includes a plurality of actuators, which are individually electrically addressed. Each actuator may be an array of interspersed elements or a cavity and corresponding tooth. Springs support the moving elements and bias the reflective surface in an original position. The vertical comb drive provides a large stroke and substantially linear voltage-versus-displacement curve throughout the stroke.

The disclosed fabrication methodology addresses the problem of creating low-cost micro-electro-mechanical devices and systems, and, in particular, addresses the problem of delicate microstructures being damaged by the surface tension created as a wet etchant evaporates. This disclosure demonstrates a method for employing a dry plasma etch process to release encapsulated microelectromechanical components.

A method of formation of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator or filter which is compatible with integration with any analog, digital, or mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC) process, after or concurrently with the formation of the metal interconnect layers in those processes, by virtue of its materials of composition, processing steps, and temperature of fabrication is presented. The MEMS resonator or filter incorporates a lower metal level, which forms the electrodes of the MEMS resonator or filter, that may be shared with any or none of the existing metal interconnect levels on the IC. It further incorporates a resonating member that is comprised of at least one metal layer for electrical connection and electrostatic actuation, and at least one dielectric layer for structural purposes. The gap between the electrodes and the resonating member is created by the deposition and subsequent removal of a sacrificial layer comprised of a carbon-based material. The method of removal of the sacrificial material is by an oxygen plasma or an anneal in an oxygen containing ambient. A method of vacuum encapsulation of the MEMS resonator or filter is provided through means of a cavity containing the MEMS device, filled with additional sacrificial material, and sealed. Access vias are created through the membrane sealing the cavity; the sacrificial material is removed as stated previously, and the vias are re-sealed in a vacuum coating process.

The invention provides a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) mirror device, comprising: a mirror having a 2-dimensional rotational articulated hinge at a first end, and having a 1-dimensional rotational articulated hinge at a second end opposite the first end; a movable cantilever connected to the mirror through the 1-dimensional rotational articulated hinge; a support structure connected to the mirror through the 2-dimensional rotational articulated hinge and connected to the movable cantilever; whereby movement of said movable cantilever causes rotation of the mirror in a first axis of rotation, and the mirror is also rotatable about a second torsional axis of rotation perpendicular to said first axis of rotation.

A method of bonding of germanium to aluminum between two substrates to create a robust electrical and mechanical contact is disclosed. An aluminum-germanium bond has the following unique combination of attributes: (1) it can form a hermetic seal; (2) it can be used to create an electrically conductive path between two substrates; (3) it can be patterned so that this conduction path is localized; (4) the bond can be made with the aluminum that is available as standard foundry CMOS process. This has the significant advantage of allowing for wafer-level bonding or packaging without the addition of any additional process layers to the CMOS wafer.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer having at least one device trench extending to a first depth position includes providing a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces and a semiconductor material layer having first and second main surfaces disposed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate and determining an etch ratio. The least one device trench and at least one monitor trench are simultaneously formed in the first main surface of the semiconductor material layer. The at least one monitor trench is monitored to detect when it extends to a second depth position. A ratio of the first depth position to the second depth position is generally equal to the etch ratio.

A silicon condenser microphone package is disclosed. The silicon condenser microphone package comprises a transducer unit, substrate, and a cover. The substrate includes an upper surface having a recess formed therein. The transducer unit is attached to the upper surface of the substrate and overlaps at least a portion of the recess wherein a back volume of the transducer unit is formed between the transducer unit and the substrate. The cover is placed over the transducer unit and includes an aperture.

A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) package includes a MEMS microphone device. The MEMS microphone device has a first substrate and at least a sensing element on the first substrate wherein a first chamber in the MEMS microphone device is connected to the sensing element. A second substrate is disposed over the MEMS microphone device to provide a second chamber in the second substrate over the sensing element opposite to the first chamber.

A fabricated microstructure comprising at least one protrusion capable of providing an adhesive force at a surface of between about 60 and 2,000 nano-Newtons. A stalk supports the protrusion at an oblique angle relative to a supporting surface. The microstructure can adhere to different surfaces.

Improved microneedle arrays are provided having a sufficiently large separation distance between each of the individual microneedles to ensure penetration of the skin while having a sufficiently small separation distance to provide high transdermal transport rates. A very useful range of separation distances between microneedles is in the range of 100–300 microns, and more preferably in the range of 100–200 microns. The outer diameter and microneedle length is also very important, and in combination with the separation distance will be crucial as to whether or not the microneedles will actually penetrate the stratum corneum of skin. For circular microneedles, a useful outer diameter range is from 20–100 microns, and more preferably in the range of 20–50 microns. For circular microneedles that do not have sharp edges, a useful length for use with interstitial fluids is in the range of 50–200 microns, and more preferably in the range of 100–150 microns; for use with other biological fluids, a useful length is in the range of 200 microns–3 mm, and more preferably in the range of 200–400 microns. For circular microneedles having sharp side edges, a useful length for use with interstitial fluids is in the range of 50–200 microns, and more preferably in the range of 80–150 microns; for use with other biological fluids, a useful length is again in the range of 200 microns–3 mm, and more preferably in the range of 200–400 microns. For solid microneedles having a star-shaped profile with sharp edges for its star-shaped blades, a useful length for use with interstitial fluids is in the range of 50–200 microns, and more preferably in the range of 80–150 microns; for use with other biological fluids, a useful length is again in the range of 200 microns–3 mm, and more preferably in the range of 200–400 microns, while the radius of each of its blades is in the range of 10–50 microns, and more preferably in the range of 10–15 microns.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides functional perfluoropolyether (PFPE) materials for use in fabricating and utilizing microscale devices, such as a microfluidic device. The functional PFPE materials can be used to adhere layers of PFPE materials to one another or to other substrates to form a microscale device. Further, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a method for functionalizing the interior surface of a microfluidic channel and/or a microtiter well. Also the presently disclosed subject matter provides a method for fabricating a microscale structure through the use of a sacrificial layer of a degradable material.

A method for fabrication of single crystal silicon micromechanical resonators using a two-wafer process, including either a Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or insulating base and resonator wafers, wherein resonator anchors, a capacitive air gap, isolation trenches, and alignment marks are micromachined in an active layer of the base wafer; the active layer of the resonator wafer is bonded directly to the active layer of the base wafer; the handle and dielectric layers of the resonator wafer are removed; viewing windows are opened in the active layer of the resonator wafer; masking the single crystal silicon semiconductor material active layer of the resonator wafer with photoresist material; a single crystal silicon resonator is machined in the active layer of the resonator wafer using silicon dry etch micromachining technology; and the photoresist material is subsequently dry stripped.

There is described a micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTS) and a method of fabrication. The membranes of the transducers are fusion bonded to cavities to form cells. The membranes are formed on a wafer of sacrificial material. This permits handling for fusions bonding. The sacrificial material is then removed to leave the membrane. Membranes of silicon, silicon nitride, etc. can be formed on the sacrificial material. Also described are cMUTs, pMUTs and mMUTs.

A microelectromechanical-acoustic-transducer assembly has: a first die integrating a MEMS sensing structure having a membrane, which has a first surface in fluid communication with a front chamber and a second surface, opposite to the first surface, in fluid communication with a back chamber of the microelectromechanical acoustic transducer, is able to undergo deformation as a function of incident acoustic-pressure waves, and faces a rigid electrode so as to form a variable-capacitance capacitor; a second die, integrating an electronic reading circuit operatively coupled to the MEMS sensing structure and supplying an electrical output signal as a function of the capacitive variation; and a package, housing the first die and the second die and having a base substrate with external electrical contacts. The first and second dice are stacked in the package and directly connected together mechanically and electrically; the package delimits at least one of the front and back chambers.

An interference display unit with a first electrode, a second electrode and posts located between the two electrodes is provided. The characteristic of the interference display unit is that the second electrode's stress is released through a thermal process. The position of the second electrode is shifted and the distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is therefore defined. A method for fabricating the structure described as follow. A first electrode and a sacrificial layer are sequentially formed on a substrate and at least two openings are formed in the first electrode and the sacrificial layer. A supporter is formed in the opening and the supporter may have at least one arm on the top portion of the supporter. A second electrode is formed on the sacrificial layer and the supporter and a thermal process is performed. Finally, The sacrificial layer is removed.