MEMS device made of transition metal-dielectric oxide materials
First Claim
1. A micromechanical device, comprising:
- a substrate;
a movable element formed in or on the substrate with the movable element having a reflective layer thereon or therein;
a hinge allowing movement of the movable element relative to the substrate, further comprising;
a flexible hinge portion tha comprises an alloy of an oxide compound and a late transition metal, wherein the oxide compound is in the form of a matrix surrounding discrete late transition metal islands; and
wherein the reflective layer comprises Al, Ti, or Au.
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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 an oxide 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 selected group 3A to 6A element, namely B, Al, In, Si, Ge, Sn, or Pb. 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 oxygen 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
46 Claims
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1. A micromechanical device, comprising:
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a substrate; a movable element formed in or on the substrate with the movable element having a reflective layer thereon or therein; a hinge allowing movement of the movable element relative to the substrate, further comprising;
a flexible hinge portion tha comprises an alloy of an oxide compound and a late transition metal, wherein the oxide compound is in the form of a matrix surrounding discrete late transition metal islands; andwherein the reflective layer comprises Al, Ti, or Au. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A micromechanical device comprising:
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a micromirror that further comprises a reflecting surface of a movable portion; a flexible hinge portion that comprises a layer formed of one or more oxide compounds in a matrix surrounding a late transition metal; and wherein the layer comprises an oxide or element selected from the late transition metals and an oxide of a group 3A or 4A element; and wherein the flexible hinge portion further comprises a material that comprises an oxide of Al, Si or B and a late transition metal that does not form an oxide. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A micromechanical device, comprising:
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a flexible hinge portion that comprises an alloy of an oxide compound and a late transition metal, wherein the oxide compound is in the form of a matrix surrounding discrete late transition metal islands; and wherein the late transition metal is a ferromagnetic metal.
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43. A micromechanical device, comprising:
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a flexible hinge portion that comprises an alloy of an oxide compound and a late transition metal, wherein the oxide compound is in the form of a matrix surrounding discrete late transition metal islands; wherein the late transition metal is Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Ag or Au.
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44. A rnicrornechanical device comprising:
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a micromirror that further comprises a reflecting surface of a movable portion; a flexible hinge portion that comprises a layer formed of one or more oxide compounds in a matrix surrounding a late transition metal; wherein the layer comprises an oxide or element selected from the late transition metals and an oxide of a group 3A or 4A element; wherein the flexible hinge portion further comprises a material that comprises an oxide of In, Sn, Ti and/or Pb, and an oxide of Ru, Rh, Os or Ir; wherein the oxide of the group 3A or 4A element comprises an oxide of indium, tin, germanium and/or lead; and wherein the oxide of the group 3A or 4A element is an oxide of selected elements from group 3A or 4A.
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45. A micromechanical device comprising:
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a micromirror that further comprises a reflecting surface of a movable portion; a flexible hinge portion that comprises a layer formed of one or more oxide compounds in a matrix surrounding a late transition metal; wherein the layer comprises an oxide or element selected from the late transition metals and an oxide of a group 3A or 4A element; wherein the flexible hinge portion further comprises a material that comprises an oxide of In, Sn, Ti and/or Pb, and an oxide of Ru, Rh, Os or Ir; and wherein the oxide or element selected from the late transition metal is an oxide or element selected from Fe, Co or Ni.
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46. A micromechanical device comprising:
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a micromirror that further comprises a reflecting surface of a movable portion; a flexible hinge portion that comprises a layer formed of one or more oxide compounds in a matrix surrounding a late transition metal; wherein the layer comprises an oxide or element selected from the late transition metals and an oxide of a group 3A or 4A element; and wherein the flexible hinge portion further comprises a material that comprises an oxide of In, Sn, Ti and/or Pb, and an oxide of Ru, Rh, Os or Ir; and wherein the flexible hinge portion further comprises a material that comprises a late transition metal that does not form an oxide.
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Specification