BIAXIAL MEMS MIRROR WITH HIDDEN HINGE
First Claim
1. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:
- a substrate with first and second supports extending upwardly therefrom;
a tilting element pivotable about a first axis;
first hinges, defining the first axis, extending from opposite sides of the tilting element;
a rolling element, surrounding the tilting element and receiving the ends of the first hinges, pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
second hinges, defining the second axis, extending from opposite ends of the rolling element, the outer ends of which are fixed to one of the first and second supports;
a pedestal extending upwardly from the tilting element;
a reflective body mounted on the pedestal;
a first electrode mounted on the substrate along the second axis for rotating the tilting element and the reflective body about the first axis; and
a second electrode mounted on the substrate including a first section along the second axis between the first electrode and the first support and a second section along the second axis between the first electrode and the second support, for rotating the rolling element, the tilting element and the reflective body about the second axis.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-layer hidden hinge and actuator design for high fill factor biaxial MEMS mirror array for wavelength selective switches (WSS) based on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process with wafer bonding and coarsely aligned orthogonal vertical comb and/or parallel plate actuator. Each micro-mirror in the MEMS linear piano micro-mirror array comprises a micro-mirror layer, a hinge layer and an electrode/substrate layer. Preferably, the roll and tilt electrodes are substantially disposed along the roll axis to provide a high fill factor. The structure is formed by fabricating the layers separately in SOI structure and then bonding them together.
28 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:
-
a substrate with first and second supports extending upwardly therefrom; a tilting element pivotable about a first axis; first hinges, defining the first axis, extending from opposite sides of the tilting element; a rolling element, surrounding the tilting element and receiving the ends of the first hinges, pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; second hinges, defining the second axis, extending from opposite ends of the rolling element, the outer ends of which are fixed to one of the first and second supports; a pedestal extending upwardly from the tilting element; a reflective body mounted on the pedestal; a first electrode mounted on the substrate along the second axis for rotating the tilting element and the reflective body about the first axis; and a second electrode mounted on the substrate including a first section along the second axis between the first electrode and the first support and a second section along the second axis between the first electrode and the second support, for rotating the rolling element, the tilting element and the reflective body about the second axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of manufacturing a MEMs device comprising:
-
a) forming a substrate with first and second electrodes thereon; b) forming a middle section on a first wafer handle including; a tilting element pivotable about a first axis; first hinges, defining the first axis extending laterally from opposite sides of the tilting element; a rolling element, pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, surrounding the tilting element, and receiving the ends of the first torsional hinge; second hinges, defining the second axis, extending longitudinally from opposite ends of rolling element; and a mounting platform fixed to each outer end of the second torsional hinge; c) forming a reflective body section including a pedestal and a reflective body on a second wafer handle; d) mounting the pedestal of the mirror section onto the tilting element of the middle section; e) removing the first wafer handle from the middle section; f) mounting the mounting platforms of the middle section onto opposite ends of the substrate section suspending the tilting and rolling elements above the first and second electrodes, respectively; and g) removing the second handle wafer of the reflective body section. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification