Abstract:
L'invention concerne un microcommutateur à actuation électrostatique de type condensateur composé de deux armatures dont la première est une membrane flexible (11) et la seconde comporte au moins une électrode de commande (13), les deux armatures étant séparées par une épaisseur de vide ou de gaz et au moins une couche d'au moins un matériau isolant (13) caractérisé en ce que : - la première armature comporte des zones (z11, z12) recouvertes de film de nanoparticules de carbone présentant une conductivité élevée; - lesdites zones étant deux pistes situées sur les deux bords de la membrane. L'invention a aussi pour objet un procédé de fabrication d'un tel microcommutateur comportant un dépôt localisé de nanotubes de carbone sur la membrane.
Abstract:
A MEMS thermal switch is disclosed which couples a hot, expanding beam to a cool flexor beam using a slideably engaged tether, and bends the cool, flexor beam by the expansion of the hot beam. A rigidly engaged tether ties the distal ends of the hot, expanding beam and the cool, flexor beam together, whereas the slideably engaged tether allows the hot, expanding beam to elongate with respect to the cool, flexor beam, without loading the slideably engaged tether with a large shear force. As a result, the material of the tether can be made stiffer, and therefore transmit the bending force of the hot, expanding beam more efficiently to the cool, flexor beam.
Abstract:
A micro-electromechanical actuator (100) employs metal for the hot arm (101) and silicon for at least the flexible portion of the cold arm (105). The cold arm (105) made of silicon is coupled to a metal wire (107) that moves with it and is used to carry the signal to be switched when at least two of such actuators are formed into a switch. Arrays of such switches on a first chip may be cooperatively arranged with a second chip that is flip-chip bonded to the first chip, the second chip having thereon wires routing the electrical control currents to the various hot arms for heating them as well as the signals to be switched by the various switches.
Abstract:
A movable element which can achieve miniaturization of submicron level, high speed operation, simplification of fabrication process, cost reduction, and high reliability simultaneously. The movable element has a basic structure comprising a lower electrode and a basic conductive layer secured onto a substrate, respectively, an elastic shaft of carbon nanotube standing with the lower end secured onto the basic conductive layer, and an upper structural body including an upper electrode secured to the upper end of the elastic shaft while spaced apart from the lower electrode, wherein the upper electrode is displaced from the lower electrode by Coulomb force acting between the both electrodes within an allowable range of elastic deformation of the elastic shaft.
Abstract:
A micro electromechanical (MEMS) switch suitable for use in medical devices is provided, along with methods of producing and using MEMS switches. In one aspect, a micro electromechanical switch including a moveable member configured to electrically cooperate with a receiving terminal is formed on a substrate. The moveable member and the receiving terminal each include an insulating layer proximate to the substrate and a conducting layer proximate to the insulating layer opposite the substrate. In various embodiments, the conducting layers of the moveable member and/or receiving terminal include a protruding region that extends outward from the substrate to switchably couple the conducting layers of the moveable member and the receiving terminal to thereby form a switch. The switch may be actuated using, for example, electrostatic energy.
Abstract:
This invention provides a solution to increase the yield strength and fatigue strength of miniaturized springs (507), which can be fabricated in arrays with ultra-small pitches. It also discloses a solution to minimize adhesion of the contact pad materials to the spring tips upon repeated contacts without affecting the reliability of the miniaturized springs (507). In addition, the invention also presents a method to fabricate the springs (507) that allow passage of relatively higher current without significantly degrading their lifetime.
Abstract:
A micro-scale interconnect device with internal heat spreader and method for fabricating same. The device includes first and second arrays of generally coplanar electrical communication lines. The first array is disposed generally along a first plane, and the second array is disposed generally along a second plane spaced from the first plane. The arrays are electrically isolated from each other. Embedded within the interconnect device is a heat spreader element. The heat spreader element comprises a dielectric material disposed in thermal contact with at least one of the arrays and a layer of thermally conductive material embedded in the dielectric material. The device is fabricated by forming layers of electrically conductive, dielectric, and thermally conductive materials on a substrate. The layers are arranged to enable heat energy given off by current-carrying communciation lines to be transferred away from the communciation lines.
Abstract:
Electrothermal Self-Latching MEMS Switch and Method. According to one embodiment, a microscale switch (100) having a movable microcomponent (108) is provided and includes a substrate (102) having a stationary contact (104). The switch (100) can also include a structural layer (112) having a movable contact (108) positioned for contacting the stationary contact (104) when the structural layer (112) moves toward the substrate (102). Electrothermal latch (126) attached to the structural layer (112) and having electrical communication (114, 116) with the movable contact (108) to provide current flow between the electrothermal latch (126) and the stationary contact (104) when the movable contact (108) contacts the stationary contact (104) for maintaining the movable contact (108) in contact with the stationary contact (104).