Electrostatically controlled variable capacitor

• US 6,373,682 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micross Advanced Interconnect Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: MCNC, Inc.
• Inventors: Goodwin-Johansson, Scott Halden
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US09/464,010
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 361/277, 361/278, 361/281, 361/283--28, 361/290
• US Class Current: 361/278
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/18 due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2059/0081 with a tapered air-gap between fixed and movable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics

Abstract

A MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) electrostatically operated high voltage variable controlled capacitor device is provided. This device can store high energy over a wide range while using relatively low electrostatic operating voltages. The MEMS device comprises a microelectronic substrate, a substrate signal electrode, and one or more substrate control electrodes. The MEMS device also includes a moveable composite overlying the substrate, having a composite signal electrode, one or more composite control electrodes, and a biasing element. In cross-section, the moveable composite comprises at least one electrode layer and, in most instances, a biasing layer. In length, the moveable composite comprises a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate and a distal portion moveable with respect to the substrate electrode. The distal and/or medial portions of the moveable composite are biased in position when no electrostatic force is applied. Additionally, the MEMS device comprises insulators to electrically isolate the substrate and electrodes. Applying a variable controlled voltage between the substrate control electrode and moveable composite control electrode, controls the bias of the moveable composite and, in turn, controls the capacitance between the substrate signal electrode and the composite signal electrode. Various embodiments further define the various layering alternatives if the moveable composite, shaping of the electrodes and placement of the electrodes. Additionally, a system for electrostatically controlled variable capacitance comprises a variable controlled voltage source coupled to the control electrodes of the MEMS device of the present invention and a circuit signal electrically coupled to the signal electrodes of the MEMS device. A method of using and a method for making the aforementioned electrostatic MEMS device are also provided.

Claims

1. A MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:

a microelectronic substrate defining a generally planar surface;

a substrate signal electrode forming a layer on said substrate;

a substrate control electrode forming a layer on said substrate and electrically isolated from said substrate signal electrode;

a moveable composite overlying said substrate signal electrode and said substrate control electrode and having a signal electrode, a control electrode and a biasing element, said composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, a medial portion adjacent to the fixed portion and a distal portion adjacent to the medial portion, the medial and distal portion being moveable with respect to said substrate signal electrode; and

an insulator electrically isolating said substrate signal electrode from said composite signal electrode and said substrate control electrode from said composite control electrode,

whereby the capacitance between said substrate signal electrode and said composite signal electrode is varied by changing the separation between said substrate and said composite.

2. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode is formed in substantially the same layer as said substrate signal electrode.

3. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate signal electrode is of a predetermined shape.

4. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate signal electrode is generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

5. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode is of a predetermined shape.

6. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode is generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

7. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode partially surrounds at least two sides of said substrate signal electrode.

8. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode is generally shaped to frame a periphery of said substrate signal electrode.

9. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate control electrode comprises two or more substrate control electrodes forming one or more layers on said substrate and electrically isolated from said substrate signal electrode.

10. A MEMS device according to claim 9, wherein said substrate control electrodes are of a predetermined shape.

11. A MEMS device according to claim 9, wherein said substrate control electrodes are of a generally equivalent shape.

12. A MEMS device according to claim 9, wherein said substrate control electrodes are generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

13. A MEMS device according to claim 9, wherein said substrate signal electrode and said substrate control electrodes are generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective and said substrate control electodes are generally deposited parallel to sides of said substrate signal electrode.

14. A MEMS device according to claim 9, wherein said composite control electrode comprises two or more composite control electrodes forming one or more layers on said composite, electrically isolated from said composite signal electrode and having a predetermined shape which is generally equivalent to the shape of said substrate control electrodes.

15. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite signal electrode is of a predetermined shape.

16. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite signal electrode is generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

17. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite signal electrode is generally equivalent in shape to said substrate signal electrode.

18. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode is of a predetermined shape.

19. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode is generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

20. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode partially surround at least two sides of said substrate composite electrode.

21. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode is generally shaped to frame the periphery of said composite signal electrode.

22. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode is generally equivalent in shape to said substrate control electrode.

23. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite control electrode comprises two or more composite control electrodes forming one or more layers on said composite and electrically isolated from said composite signal electrode.

24. A MEMS device according to claim 23, wherein said composite control electrodes are of a predetermined shape.

25. A MEMS device according to claim 23, wherein said composite control electrodes have a predetermined equivalent shape.

26. A MEMS device according to claim 23, wherein said composite control electrodes are generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective.

27. A MEMS device according to claim 23, wherein said composite signal electrode and said composite control electrodes are generally rectangular in shape in relation to a top view perspective and said composite control electodes are generally deposited parallel to sides of said composite signal electrode.

28. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein the distal portion of said composite is positionally biased with respect to said substrate by applying a voltage to said substrate control electrode and said moveable composite control electrode.

29. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite conforms, at least in part, to the surface of said microelectronic substrate when said moveable composite distal portion is attracted to said substrate.

30. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite signal electrode, said composite control electrode and said composite biasing element are formed from one or more generally flexible materials.

31. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate signal electrode and said substrate control electrode underlie at least substantially the entire area of the distal portion of said composite.

32. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said insulator overlies said substrate signal electrode and said substrate control electrode.

33. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite biasing element comprises at least one polymer film layer.

34. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein said composite biasing element comprises polymer film layers deposited on opposite sides of a layer comprising said composite signal electrode.

35. A MEMS device according to claim 1 wherein said composite signal electrode, composite control electrode and composite biasing element have different thermal coefficients of expansion.

36. A MEMS device according to claim 1 wherein said composite biasing element comprises at least two polymer films of different thickness.

37. A MEMS device according to claim 1 wherein said composite biasing element comprises at least two polymer films of different coefficients of expansion.

38. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein the medial portion of said composite curls away from the substrate surface when no electrostatic force is created between said composite control electrode and said substrate control electrode.

39. A MEMS device according to claim 1, wherein the medial portion of said composite curls toward the substrate surface when no electrostatic force is created between said composite control electrode and said substrate control electrode.

40. A MEMS device according to claim 1, further comprising a source of electrical energy electrically connected to said substrate control electrode and said moveable composite control electrode.

41. A MEMS device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical signal circuit electrically connected to said substrate signal electrode and said moveable composite signal electrode.

42. A MEMS device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:

a microelectronic substrate defining a generally planar surface;

a substrate signal electrode forming a layer on said substrate;

a substrate control electrode forming a layer on said substrate and electrically isolated from said substrate signal electrode;

a moveable composite overlying said substrate signal electrode and said substrate control electrode and having a signal electrode, a control electrode and a biasing element, said moveable composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, a medial portion defining an air gap between said substrate signal electrode and said composite signal electrode and a distal portion moveable with respect to said substrate signal electrode; and

an insulator electrically isolating said substrate signal electrode from said composite signal electrode and said substrate control electrode from said pair of composite control electrodes,

whereby the capacitance between said substrate signal electrode and said moveable composite signal electrode is varied by changing the separation between said substrate and said composite.

43. A MEMS device according to claim 42, wherein the medial portion defines a generally constant air gap between said substrate signal electrode and said composite signal electrode.

44. A MEMS device according to claim 42, wherein the medial portion defines a generally decreasing air gap between said substrate signal electrode and said composite signal electrode, with the air gap being largest proximate the fixed portion and decreasing toward the distal portion.

45. A MEMS device according to claim 42, wherein the medial portion defines a contact zone where the air gap decreases to zero at a location between the fixed portion and the distal portion.

46. A MEMS device according to claim 42, wherein said composite biasing element comprises at least one polymer film.

47. A MEMS device according to claim 46, wherein said polymer film is thinner in the medial portion than in the distal portion.

48. A MEMS device according to claim 46, wherein said polymer film is patterned in the medial portion to remove at least some of the polymer film.

49. A MEMS device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:

a microelectronic substrate defining a generally planar surface;

at least one substrate signal electrode forming a layer on said substrate;

at least one substrate control electrode forming a layer on said substrate and electrically isolated from said substrate signal electrode;

a moveable composite overlying said at least one substrate signal electrode and said at least one substrate control electrode and having at least one signal electrode, at least one control electrode and a biasing element, said composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, a medial portion adjacent to the fixed portion and a distal portion adjacent to the medial portion, the medial and distal portion being moveable with respect to said at least one substrate signal electrode; and

an insulator electrically isolating said at least one substrate signal electrode from said at least one composite signal electrode and said at least one substrate control electrode from said at least one composite control electrode,

whereby the capacitance between said at least one substrate signal electrode and said at least one composite signal electrode is varied by changing the separation between said substrate and said composite.

50. A MEMS device according to claim 49, wherein the number of substrate control electrodes is equivalent to the number of composite control electrodes.

51. A MEMS device according to claim 49, wherein the number of substrate signal electrodes is equivalent to the number of composite signal electrodes.

52. A system for electrostatically controlling variable capacitance, the system comprising:

a variable controlled voltage source;

a MEMS device having a microelectronic substrate comprising a substrate signal electrode layer and an electrically isolated substrate control electrode layer, and an electrically isolated moveable composite having a signal electrode, a control electrode and biasing element, the substrate control electrode and the composite control electrode electrically coupled to said variable controlled voltage source, whereby the movable composite biasing is controlled in response to voltage supplied to the substrate control electrode and the moveable composite control electrode; and

an electrical signal circuit electrically coupled to the substrate signal electrode and the composite signal electrode wherein the capacitance therebetween is variable in response to variations in said voltage source.

53. A method of using a MEMS device having a microelectronic substrate having a substrate signal electrode and a substrate control electrode, and a moveable composite having a signal electrode, a control electrode and biasing element, the composite movable in response to an electrostatic force created between the substrate control electrode and the moveable composite control electrode, the method comprising the steps of:

selectively generating a variable electrostatic force between the substrate control electrode and the moveable composite control electrode; and

moving the moveable composite with respect to the substrate in response to the variable electrostatic force to vary the capacitance between the substrate signal electrode and composite signal electrode.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of selectively generating a variable electrostatic force further comprises generating variable voltage from a control source electrically connected to the substrate control electrode and the composite control electrode.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of moving the composite further comprises uncurling the composite to lie generally parallel to the substrate.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of moving the composite further comprises curling the composite away from the substrate.

57. The method of claim 53, further comprising the step of altering the operation of an electric circuit in response to the variation of capacitance between the substrate signal electrode and composite signal electrode.