Integratable transducer structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- a substrate having an upper surface defining a first plane;
an electromechanical element including a deformable element defining a second plane which intersects the first plane and wherein the deformable element is deformable in a direction perpendicular to the second plane.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electro-mechanical structures and methods for forming same are disclosed. The structures are integratable onto an integrated circuit. The structures have a deformeable element formed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the substrate of the integrated circuit.
107 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An integrated circuit comprising:
-
a substrate having an upper surface defining a first plane;
an electromechanical element including a deformable element defining a second plane which intersects the first plane and wherein the deformable element is deformable in a direction perpendicular to the second plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An integrated circuit comprising:
-
a substrate having an upper surface, an electromechanical element formed on the upper surface, the electromechanical element being elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate upper surface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An integrated circuit having:
-
a substrate, an electromechanical element formed on the substrate;
the electromechanical element having a deformable element formed in a substantially perpendicular plane with respect to the substrate and deformable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said plane, the electromechanical element further comprising at least one sealed cavity, at least a portion of the deformable element being exposed to the sealed cavity, andwherein a deformation of the deformable element effects a change in the electrical characteristics of the electromechanical element.
-
-
19. A method of forming an electromechanical element having a deformable element and at least one evacuated cavity onto an integrated circuit substrate comprising the steps of:
-
a) masking at least a portion of an active device layer of the integrated circuit, b) etching the device layer through the mask, c) sealing at least a portion of the etched device layer so as to effect the formation of the at least one evacuated cavity within the active device layer, and wherein the etching of the device layer through the mask effects the formation of at least one deformeable element, the element being deformable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the substrate of the integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of measuring pressure using an integrated transducer comprising the steps of:
-
a) forming at least one evacuated cavity in an active device layer of the integrated circuit, b) isolating at least one wall of the at least one cavity from the active device layer of the integrated circuit so as to form a deformable element, the wall being formed in a plane substantially perpendicular to a substrate surface of the integrated circuit, c) exposing at least one wall of the cavity to ambient pressure conditions so as to form a deformable membrane, and d) sensing any deformation of the deformable element resultant in fluctuations in pressure between the ambient pressure and the evacuated cavity.
-
-
25. A method of forming an actuator on an integrated circuit comprising the steps of:
-
a) forming at least one evacuated cavity in an active device layer of the integrated circuit, b) forming a deformable element in a plane substantially perpendicular to a substrate of the integrated circuit, at least a portion of the deformable element being exposed to the evacuated cavity, and c) applying a signal between the deformable element and a wall of the evacuated cavity, said applied signal actuating the deformable element so as to generate a wave, the characteristics of the wave being defined by the applied signal. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
Specification