ELECTROSTATICALLY DEFLECTABLE MICROMECHANICAL DEVICE
First Claim
1. A micromechanical device comprising:
- a deflectable element, wherein the deflectable element comprises;
an electrostatic actuator which is implemented as a plate capacitor extending along and spaced apart in a deflection direction from a neutral fiber of the deflectable element,the capacitor comprising a distal electrode and a proximal electrode, wherein the proximal electrode is arranged between the distal electrode and the neutral fiber and the plate capacitor is subdivided along a direction into segments between which the distal electrode is fixed mechanically at segment boundaries such that the deflectable element, by providing the plate capacitor with a voltage, is deflected along the direction in or opposite to the deflection direction; and
wherein the proximal electrode is arranged at a side of an insulation material of the deflectable element facing the distal electrode and is structured along the direction so as to comprise gaps at the segment boundaries such that the distal electrode is mounted mechanically to the insulation material at the segment boundaries in a manner laterally spaced apart from the proximal electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A micromechanical device with electrostatically caused deflection by a plate capacitor extending along and spaced apart from the neutral fiber of the deflectable element is improved with regard to its manufacturing complexity and/or with regard to its operating characteristics, such as, for example, maximum voltage applicable or deflectability, by using a continuous insulation layer between the distal and proximal electrodes of the plate capacitor, or else the proximal electrode is structured so as to have gaps at the segment boundaries where the distal electrode is mechanically fixed so as to be laterally spaced apart from the distal electrode. Both procedures avoid the problems of generating a roughness of the surface of the proximal electrode facing the distal electrode, as would otherwise be necessitated by etching an insulation layer for providing spacers between the distal and proximal electrodes at the segment boundaries.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A micromechanical device comprising:
a deflectable element, wherein the deflectable element comprises; an electrostatic actuator which is implemented as a plate capacitor extending along and spaced apart in a deflection direction from a neutral fiber of the deflectable element, the capacitor comprising a distal electrode and a proximal electrode, wherein the proximal electrode is arranged between the distal electrode and the neutral fiber and the plate capacitor is subdivided along a direction into segments between which the distal electrode is fixed mechanically at segment boundaries such that the deflectable element, by providing the plate capacitor with a voltage, is deflected along the direction in or opposite to the deflection direction; and wherein the proximal electrode is arranged at a side of an insulation material of the deflectable element facing the distal electrode and is structured along the direction so as to comprise gaps at the segment boundaries such that the distal electrode is mounted mechanically to the insulation material at the segment boundaries in a manner laterally spaced apart from the proximal electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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9. A micromechanical device comprising:
a deflectable element, wherein the deflectable element comprises; an electrostatic actuator which is implemented as a plate capacitor extending along and spaced apart in a direction of deflection from a neutral fiber of the delectable element, the capacitor comprising a distal and a proximal electrode, wherein the distal electrode is arranged on a side of the place capacitor facing away from the neutral fiber and the place capacitor is subdivided along a direction into segments between which the distal electrode and the proximal electrode are connected mechanically at segment boundaries such that, by providing the plate capacitor with a voltage, the deflectable element is deflected along the direction in or opposite to the direction of deflection, and wherein an insulation layer extends between the distal electrode and the proximal electrode in a manner formed continuously in the direction across the segments and segment boundaries so as to insulate same from one another such that mechanical coupling at the segment boundary is realized indirectly via the insulation layer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 29)
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30. A method for manufacturing a micromechanical device, comprising:
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providing a beam or membrane functioning as or comprising a proximal electrode; applying an insulation layer onto the proximal electrode in a manner formed continuously along a segment succession direction; applying sacrificial material onto the insulation layer in a manner structured along the segment succession direction such that the insulation layer is covered by the sacrificial material in segments in the segment succession direction and is exposed in segment boundaries between the segments; and applying a distal electrode onto the insulation layer covered segment by segment such that the distal electrode is coupled to the proximal electrode indirectly via the insulation layer such that, by providing a plate capacitor formed by the distal and proximal electrodes with a voltage, the beam or membrane is deflected along the direction transverse to the plate capacitor.
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31. A method for manufacturing a micromechanical device, comprising:
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forming a proximal electrode on a surface of an insulation material of a beam or a membrane such that the proximal electrode is structured into portions with gaps therebetween along a segment succession direction; applying sacrificial material onto the surface and the portions in a manner structured along the segment succession direction such that the insulation material is exposed inside the gaps in the segment succession direction and the portions of the proximal electrode are covered by the sacrificial material up to the gaps along the segment succession direction; and applying a distal electrode onto the sacrificial material such that the distal electrode is mechanically fixed to the insulation material inside the gaps such that, by providing a plate capacitor formed by the distal and proximal electrodes with a voltage, the beam or membrane is deflected along the direction transverse to the plate capacitor.
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Specification