Micro-Electromechanical System Microstructure

• US 20100084721A1
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asia Pacific Microsystems Incorporated (Unimicron Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asia Pacific Microsystems Incorporated (Unimicron Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Mingching, Tseng, Ming-Hsi
• Application Number:
  US12/244,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/415
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0257 Microphones or microspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0127 Diaphragms, i.e. structures separating two media that can control the passage from one medium to another; Membranes, i.e. diaphragms with filtering function
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0072 For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/60 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/18 at the periphery

Abstract

A micro-electromechanical system microstructure includes: a substrate adapted to support an electrode thereon; a suspension mechanism supported on the substrate; and a movable active part adapted to cooperate with the electrode to define a capacitor therebetween, and suspended on the substrate through the suspension mechanism so as to be movable to and fro relative to the substrate and the electrode. The suspension mechanism includes at least one supporting frame that protrudes from and that cooperates with an outer surface of the substrate to define a frame space therebetween, and at least one cantilever beam interconnecting the supporting frame and the active part.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical system microstructure comprising:

a substrate adapted to support an electrode thereon;

a suspension mechanism supported on said substrate; and

a movable active part adapted to cooperate with the electrode to define a capacitor therebetween, and suspended on said substrate through said suspension mechanism so as to be movable to and fro relative to said substrate and the electrode;

wherein said suspension mechanism includes at least one supporting frame that protrudes from and that cooperates with an outer surface of said substrate to define a frame space therebetween, and at least one cantilever beam interconnecting said supporting frame and said active part.

2. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 1, wherein said active part is movable to and fro relative to said substrate in a vertical direction, said cantilever beam being in the form of a thin film and having a film thickness in the vertical direction, said supporting frame having a plate-like vertical wall that is separate from said outer surface of said substrate, and that confines one side of said frame space, said vertical wall having a height in the vertical direction that is greater than the film thickness of said cantilever beam.

3. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 2, wherein said supporting frame further has two opposite plate-like side walls extending respectively from two opposite ends of said vertical wall to said outer surface of said substrate and cooperating with said vertical wall and said outer surface of said substrate to define said frame space thereamong, each of said side walls having a height in the vertical direction that is greater than the film thickness of said cantilever beam.

4. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 3, wherein said vertical wall is arcuate in shape and that is convex toward said outer surface of said substrate.

5. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 4, wherein said cantilever beam is connected to said vertical wall at a middle position between said two opposite ends of said vertical wall.

6. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 1, wherein said active part is movable to and fro relative to said substrate in &

vertical direction, said supporting frame having a plate-like vertical wall that is separate from said outer surface of said substrate, that confines one side of said frame space, and that is deformable toward said outer surface of said substrate.

7. The micro-electromechanical system microstructure of claim 6, wherein said vertical wall is arcuate in shape, and is convex toward said outer surface of said substrate.

8. A micro-electromechanical system device comprising:

an electrode; and

a MEMS microstructure including

a substrate supporting said electrode thereon,

a suspension mechanism supported on said substrate, and

a movable active part cooperating with said electrode to define a capacitor therebetween, and suspended on said substrate through said suspension mechanism so as to be movable to and fro relative to said substrate and said electrode;

wherein said suspension mechanism includes a plurality of supporting frames, each of which protrudes from and cooperates with an outer surface of said substrate to define a frame space therebetween, and a plurality of cantilever beams, each of which interconnects a respective one of said supporting frames and said active part.

9. The micro-electromechanical system device of claim 8, wherein said active part is movable to and fro relative to said substrate in a vertical direction, each of said supporting frames having a plate-like vertical wall that is separate from said outer surface of said substrate, that confines one side of said frame space, and that is deformable toward said outer surface of said substrate.

10. The micro-electromechanical system device of claim 9, wherein said vertical wall of each of said supporting frames is arcuate in shape, and is convex toward said outer surface of said substrate.

11. The micro-electromechanical system device of claim 9, wherein each of said cantilever beams is in the form of a thin film and has a film thickness in the vertical direction, said vertical wall of each of said supporting frames having a height in the vertical direction that is greater than the film thickness of each of said cantilever beams.