Apparatus to minimize stiction in micromachined structures
First Claim
1. A micromachined electro-mechanical structure comprising:
- an anchor connected to a substrate;
a first structure suspended above the substrate, having a first structure edge;
a second structure suspended above the substrate, having a second structure edge at a first distance along an axis parallel to the substrate from the first structure edge; and
a suspension suspended above the substrate, having a first end connected to the anchor and a second end connected to the first structure, so that the first structure is movable along the axis, the suspension further having a first bumper segment having a first segment edge, a second bumper segment having a second segment edge, and a bumper integral with the first segment edge, at a second distance along the axis from the second segment edge,wherein upon movement of the first structure a first amount in a first direction along the axis the bumper contacts the seconds segment edge and the first structure edge does not contact the second structure edge.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electro-mechanical micromachined structure uses bumpers to prevent contact between structures at different potentials. A beam is connected to one or more anchors by flexible suspensions, which permit the beam to move along a predetermined axis relative to one or more plates. The suspension includes at least one bumper positioned so that the bumper will contact another part of the suspension before the beam contacts the plates. The bumper is made from the same material as the suspension, during the same processing step. The bumper is positioned to take advantage of shrinkage or expansion of the beam during processing which forces the bumper closer to its contact point then would otherwise be possible.
59 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A micromachined electro-mechanical structure comprising:
-
an anchor connected to a substrate; a first structure suspended above the substrate, having a first structure edge; a second structure suspended above the substrate, having a second structure edge at a first distance along an axis parallel to the substrate from the first structure edge; and a suspension suspended above the substrate, having a first end connected to the anchor and a second end connected to the first structure, so that the first structure is movable along the axis, the suspension further having a first bumper segment having a first segment edge, a second bumper segment having a second segment edge, and a bumper integral with the first segment edge, at a second distance along the axis from the second segment edge, wherein upon movement of the first structure a first amount in a first direction along the axis the bumper contacts the seconds segment edge and the first structure edge does not contact the second structure edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A micromachined electro-mechanical structure comprising:
-
an anchor connected to a substrate; a first structure suspended above the substrate, having a first structure edge; a second structure suspended above the substrate, having a second structure edge at a first distance along an axis parallel to the substrate from the first structure edge; a suspension suspended above the substrate, having a first end connected to the anchor and a second end connected to the first structure, so that the first structure is movable along the axis; and a bumper section having a first bumper segment connected to the suspension and having a first segment edge, and a second bumper segment connected to the first structure and having a second segment edge at a second distance along the axis from the first segment edge, wherein upon movement of the first structure a first amount in a first direction along the axis the first segment edge contacts the second segment edge and the first structure edge does not contact the second structure edge. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification