Magnetically-packaged optical MEMs device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A magnetically-packaged optical micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device comprising:
- a) a mirror layer having a frame and at least one mirror, each mirror movably connected to the frames;
b) an actuator layer having at least one conductive path and at least one electrode, each electrode capable of inducing movement in the mirror;
c) at least one spacer to separate the mirror layer and the actuator layer by a vertical gap spacing, the spacing being separate from or part of the mirror layer and/or the actuator;
d) a first body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the mirror layer or secured thereto;
e) a second body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the actuator layer or secured thereto;
f) wherein the mirror layer, spacer and actuator layer are held in laterally-aligned and vertically spaced relation by magnetic attractive force between the first and second bodies of magnetic material.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the invention, the component layer, the spacer and the actuator layer of a MEMs device are assembled at ambient temperature and held together in lateral alignment by upper and lower magnets. Such ambient temperature magnetic packaging greatly minimizes the undesirable exposure of the sensitive MEMs components to high temperatures. The resulting MEMs device exhibits the high dimensional accuracy and stability. In a preferred embodiment, the component layer comprises a layer of movable mirrors and a spacer aerodynamically and electrostatically isolates each mirror, minimizing cross-talk between adjacent mirrors.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A magnetically-packaged optical micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device comprising:
-
a) a mirror layer having a frame and at least one mirror, each mirror movably connected to the frames;
b) an actuator layer having at least one conductive path and at least one electrode, each electrode capable of inducing movement in the mirror;
c) at least one spacer to separate the mirror layer and the actuator layer by a vertical gap spacing, the spacing being separate from or part of the mirror layer and/or the actuator;
d) a first body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the mirror layer or secured thereto;
e) a second body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the actuator layer or secured thereto;
f) wherein the mirror layer, spacer and actuator layer are held in laterally-aligned and vertically spaced relation by magnetic attractive force between the first and second bodies of magnetic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
15. The MEMs device of 14 wherein the spacer comprise a material selected from Si, Mo, W, Zr, Hf, or Ta.
-
22. A optical micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device comprising:
-
a) A component layer having a frame and at least one component, each component movably connected to the frame;
b) an actuator layer having at least one conductive path and at least one electrode, each electrode capable of inducing movement of the component;
c) at least one spacer to separate the component layer and the actuator layer by a vertical gap spacing, the spacer being separate from or part of the component layer and/or the actuator layer;
d) a first body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the component layer or secured thereto;
e) a second body of magnetic material disposed distally with respect to the actuator layer or secured thereto;
f) wherein the component layer, spacer and actuator layer are held in laterally-aligned and vertically spaced relation by magnetic attractive force between the first and second bodies of magnetic material. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification