Transition metal dielectric alloy materials for MEMS
First Claim
1. A micromechanical device, comprising:
- a movable portion and a flexible portion, the flexible portion comprising a nitride compound and a late transition metal, wherein the nitride compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system;
wherein the nitride compound is a nitride of silicon, boron or aluminum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Micromechanical devices are provided that are capable of movement due to a flexible portion. The micromechanical device can have a flexible portion formed of a nitride of preferably an element from groups 3A to 6A of the periodic table (preferably from the first two rows of these groups) and a late transition metal (preferably from groups 8B or 1B of the periodic table). The micromechanical devices can be any device, particularly MEMS sensors or actuators preferably having a flexible portion such as an accelerometer, DC relay or RF switch, optical cross connect or optical switch, or a micromirror part of an array for direct view and projection displays. The flexible portion is preferably formed by sputtering a target having a group 8B or 1B element and a group 3A to 6A element. The target can have other major constituents or impurities (e.g. additional group 3A to 6A element(s)). The target is reactively sputtered in a nitrogen ambient so as to result in a sputtered hinge. It is possible to form both stiff and/or flexible portions of the micromechanical device in this way.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A micromechanical device, comprising:
a movable portion and a flexible portion, the flexible portion comprising a nitride compound and a late transition metal, wherein the nitride compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system;
wherein the nitride compound is a nitride of silicon, boron or aluminum.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A micromechanical device;
- comprising;
a movable portion that is capable of movement due to a flexible portion that comprises a late transition metal and an element from groups 3A to 6A of the periodic table and with the flexible portion being formed by chemical or physical vapor deposition, wherein the late transition metal and the element from groups 3A to 6A of the periodic table are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system;
wherein the late transition metal is a noble metal and wherein the flexible portion further comprises more than one element from the first two rows of groups 3A to 6A; and
wherein one of the two or more elements is nitrogen. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
- comprising;
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26. A micromechanical device, comprising:
a flexible hinge comprising a nitride compound and a late transition metal, wherein the nitride compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system deposited by chemical or physical vapor deposition, wherein the nitride compound is a nitride of silicon, boron or aluminum. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A micromechanical device selected from a micromirror, a MEMS switch and a MEMS sensor, comprising:
a movable portion and a flexible hinge to which the movable portion is attached such that the movable portion is operable to move, wherein the flexible hinge comprise a ceramic compound and a late transition metal, wherein the ceramic compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system deposited by chemical or physical vapor deposition;
wherein the ceramic compound is a nitride compound that is a nitride of silicon, boron or aluminum.- View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A micromechanical device, comprising:
a movable portion and a flexible hinge to which the movable portion is attached such that the movable portion is operable to move, and wherein the flexible hinge comprises a ceramic compound and a late transition metal, wherein the ceramic compound and late transition metal are a ternary or higher system within a common layer, wherein the ceramic compound is a nitride compound which is a nitride of silicon, boron or aluminum. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A micromechanical device, comprising:
a flexible portion comprising a nitride compound having an element from groups 3A to 6A of the periodic table and a late transition metal, wherein the nitride compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system deposited by chemical or physical vapor deposition, wherein the late transition metal is a noble metal. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A micromechanical device, comprising:
a movable portion and a flexible portion, the flexible portion comprising a nitride compound and a late transition metal, wherein the nitride compound and late transition metal are in the same film or layer and wherein the film or layer is a ternary or higher system; and
wherein the late transition metal is noble metal.
Specification