MEMS device with thinned comb fingers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A comb drive device, comprising:
- a first number of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined by the distance between the top and bottom surfaces;
a second number of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined by the distance between the top and bottom surfaces, said second number of comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with said first number of comb fingers;
wherein the thickness of at least a portion of the second number of comb fingers is less than the thickness of at least a portion of the first number of comb fingers; and
wherein the second number of comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
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Abstract
Methods of fabricating thinned comb MEMS devices are disclosed. A comb drive device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention can include a number of interdigitated comb fingers some of which have a reduced thickness along at least a portion of their length relative to other comb fingers.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a first number of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined by the distance between the top and bottom surfaces; a second number of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined by the distance between the top and bottom surfaces, said second number of comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with said first number of comb fingers; wherein the thickness of at least a portion of the second number of comb fingers is less than the thickness of at least a portion of the first number of comb fingers; and wherein the second number of comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a comb drive member including a first plurality of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; a proof mass including a second plurality of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces, said second plurality of comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with the first plurality of comb fingers to form an overlapping region between each adjacent interdigitated comb finger; wherein the thickness of at least a portion of the second plurality of comb fingers is less than the thickness of the first plurality of comb fingers; and wherein the second plurality of comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a plurality of stationary comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; a plurality of moving comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces, said plurality of moving comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with said plurality of stationary comb fingers; wherein the thickness of at least a portion of said plurality of moving comb fingers is less than the thickness of said plurality of stationary comb fingers; and wherein the moving comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
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35. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a stationary comb drive member including a first plurality of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; a moving proof mass including a second plurality of comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces, said second plurality of comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with the first plurality of comb fingers to form an overlapping region between each adjacent interdigitated comb finger; wherein the thickness of at least a portion of the second plurality of comb fingers is less than the thickness of the first plurality of comb fingers at the overlapping region; and wherein the second plurality of comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
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36. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a plurality of stationary comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; a plurality of moving comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces, said plurality of moving comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with said plurality of stationary comb fingers; wherein the thickness of at least a portion of said plurality of stationary comb fingers is less than the thickness of said plurality of moving comb fingers; and wherein the stationary comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
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37. A comb drive device, comprising:
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a plurality of stationary comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces; a plurality of moving comb fingers each having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness defined between the top and bottom surfaces, said plurality of moving comb fingers being spaced apart from and interdigitated with said plurality of stationary comb fingers; wherein each of said plurality of moving comb fingers defines a length, and wherein the thickness of each of said plurality of moving comb fingers is reduced along a portion of the length such that the moving comb fingers each have a first region with a first thickness that transitions to a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.
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Specification