MEMS device with an angular vertical comb actuator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A MEMs micro-mirror device comprising:
- a substrate;
a mirrored platform pivotally mounted above the substrate for rotation about a first axis;
a first hinge enabling the mirrored platform to rotate about the first axis;
a stator comb actuator extending from the substrate; and
a rotor comb actuator, for interleaving with the stator comb actuator, extending at an acute angle from the mirrored platform for rotating the mirrored platform about the first axis.
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Abstract
A vertical comb electro-static actuator for rotating a micro-electro-mechanical micro-mirror device about a tilt axis or rotation. The rotor comb fingers of the comb drive extend from a sub-frame of the micro-mirror, which includes a prestressed layer for bending the rotor comb fingers at an angle to the substrate and mirrored platform, enabling the platform, the hinges, the rotor comb fingers and the stator comb fingers to be formed in the same layer, i.e. the same etching step.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A MEMs micro-mirror device comprising:
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a substrate; a mirrored platform pivotally mounted above the substrate for rotation about a first axis; a first hinge enabling the mirrored platform to rotate about the first axis; a stator comb actuator extending from the substrate; and a rotor comb actuator, for interleaving with the stator comb actuator, extending at an acute angle from the mirrored platform for rotating the mirrored platform about the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of fabricating a micro-mirror device including a platform pivotable about a first hinge by a vertical comb drive including first and second stator combs fixed relative to a substrate and first and second rotor combs extending at an acute angle to the substrate from prestressed first and second cantilevered sections, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a double silicon on insulator structure including first and second structural layers, and first and second insulator layers; b) etching the first and second insulator layers, and the second structural layer to form the first and second cantilevered sections on the first structural layer, the second insulator layer forming a prestressed layer for each of the first and second cantilevered sections; c) mounting the first structural layer on first, second and third supports extending from the substrate; d) etching the first structural layer to form the first hinge extending from the first support, the first and second rotor combs extending from the first and second cantilevered sections, respectively, the first and second stator combs extending from the second and third supports, and the platform; and e) etching the first structural layer above the first and second cantilevered sections, thereby releasing the first and second cantilevered sections enabling the first and second cantilevered sections to bend at the acute angle relative to the substrate due to the prestressed layers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of fabricating a micro-mirror device including a platform pivotable about a first hinge by a vertical comb drive including first and second stator combs fixed relative to a substrate and first and second rotor combs extending at an acute angle to the substrate from first and second prestressed cantilevered sections, respectively, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a silicon on insulator structure including a first structural layer, and first and second insulator layers; b) etching the first insulator layer to define a prestressed layer for each of the first and second cantilevered sections on the first structural layer; c) mounting the first structural layer on first, second and third supports extending from the substrate; d) etching the first structural layer to form the first hinge extending from the first support, the first and second rotor combs extending from the first and second cantilevered sections, respectively, the first and second stator combs extending from the second and third supports, and the platform; and e) etching the first structural layer above the first and second cantilevered sections, thereby releasing the first and second cantilevered sections enabling them to bend at the acute angle due to the prestressed layers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification