Anchors for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices
First Claim
1. A MEMS anchor system for securing a base of a MEMS device to a substrate, comprising:
- a plurality of anchors securing the base of the MEMS device to the substrate, each anchor comprising a plurality of anchor legs, each anchor leg being attached at one end to the base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, the plurality of anchor legs comprising a first number of anchor legs oriented along a first direction and a second number of anchor legs oriented along a second direction, the first number of anchor legs are stronger and longer than the second number of anchor legs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an anchor system for securing a MEMS device to a substrate comprising multiple anchors. A MEMS structure, built in accordance with the one embodiment of the invention, comprises a flexible beam suspended over a substrate and a base attached to each end of the beam. Each base is supported above the substrate by multiple anchors attached to the surface of the substrate. Each anchor further comprises anchor legs along its sides that support the base off of the substrate. In one embodiment, the anchors of each base are located away from the interface between the beam and the base. In another embodiment, the lengths of the anchor legs of the anchors are made longer along a direction of good side-wall step coverage than along a direction of poor side-wall step coverage.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A MEMS anchor system for securing a base of a MEMS device to a substrate, comprising:
a plurality of anchors securing the base of the MEMS device to the substrate, each anchor comprising a plurality of anchor legs, each anchor leg being attached at one end to the base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, the plurality of anchor legs comprising a first number of anchor legs oriented along a first direction and a second number of anchor legs oriented along a second direction, the first number of anchor legs are stronger and longer than the second number of anchor legs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A MEMS apparatus, comprising:
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a beam;
a base attached to one end of the beam;
a substrate; and
a plurality of anchors securing the base to the substrate, each anchor comprising a plurality of anchor legs, each anchor leg being attached at one end to the base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, the plurality of anchor legs comprising a first number of anchor legs oriented along a first direction and a second number of anchor legs oriented along a second direction, the first number of anchor legs are stronger and longer than the second number of anchor legs. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A MEMS apparatus, comprising:
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a beam;
two bases, each base attached to one end of the beam;
a substrate; and
two sets of multiple anchors, each set of multiple anchors securing one of the two bases to the substrate, each anchor of the sets of multiple anchors comprising a plurality of anchor legs, wherein in a first set of multiple anchors, each anchor leg is attached at one end to a first base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, and wherein in a second set of multiple anchors, each anchor leg is attached at one end to a second base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, the plurality of anchor legs of the first and second sets of multiple anchors comprising a first number of anchor legs oriented along a first direction and a second number of anchor legs oriented along a second directions the first number of anchor legs are stronger and longer than the second number of anchor legs. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A MEMS anchor system for securing a base of a MEMS device to a substrate, comprising:
a plurality of anchors securing the base of the MEMS device to the substrate, each anchor further comprising a plurality of anchor legs, each anchor leg being attached at one end to the base of the MEMS device and attached at another end to the substrate, wherein the plurality of anchor legs comprises a first number of anchor legs that are orientated along a first direction, a second number of anchor legs that are orientated along a second direction, and the first number of anchor legs are thicker and longer than the second number of anchor legs. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
Specification