Quantum tunnelling transducer device

• US 8,033,091 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Precision Instruments Asia Pte Ltd.
• Inventors: Michalewicz, Marek, Rymuza, Zygmunt
• Primary Examiner(s): Sayadian; Hrayr
• Application Number:
  US10/554,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,728 Days
• Field of Search: 257414-419, 257/E27.006, 438 50- 53, 977/724, 977/725, 977/732, 977/733
• US Class Current: 57/414
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/0285 Vibration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0109 Bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/051 Translation according to an axis parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0021 Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0894 by non-contact electron transfer, i.e. electron tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/724 Devices having flexible or movable element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/725 Nanomotor/nanoactuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/732 Nanocantilever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/733 Nanodiaphragm

Abstract

A monolithic micro or nano electromechanical transducer device includes a pair of substrates (20, 25) respectively mounting one or more elongate electrical conductors (40) and resilient solid state hinge means (30, 32) integral with and linking the substrates to relatively locate the substrates so that respective elongate electrical conductors (40) of the substrates are opposed at a spacing that permits a detectable quantum tunnelling current between the conductors when a suitable electrical potential difference is applied across the conductors. The solid state hinge means permits relative parallel translation of the substrates transverse to the elongate electrical conductors.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate mounted on the first substrate by at least one pair of elongated solid state hinges, wherein the pair of solid state hinges are substantially aligned to each other in their elongated direction and are opposing to each other from different sides of the second substrate;

at least one first elongated electrical conductor extending in a first direction located on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate; and

at least one second elongated electrical conductor extending in a second direction, which is the same as the first direction, located on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate;

wherein;

the pair of solid state hinges are integral with and linking the first and second substrates to relatively locate the first and second substrates such that the surfaces thereof are parallel and a gap therebetween is maintained at about 15 nm or less such that the first and second elongated electrical conductors are opposed to each other at a distance permitting a detectable quantum tunneling current when a suitable electrical potential difference is applied between the first and second elongated electrical conductors; and

the at least one pair of solid state hinges are configured to permit a motion of the second substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the first substrate but substantially prohibit a motion of the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one pair of solid state hinges are resilient and are dimensioned to have a stiffness in the direction of the motion substantially lower than that in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the second substrate, and wherein the pair of solid state hinges are substantially aligned with each other.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one pair of solid state hinges comprises at least one outstanding pillar or post from one of the first and second substrates and a web integrally joining the pillar to an edge region of the other of the first and second substrates, and wherein the pair of solid state hinges are also configured to provide electrical connections to the first and second elongated conductors.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the webs of the at least one pair of solid state hinges are in mutual co-planar alignment, wherein the device includes only one pair of elongated solid state hinges, and wherein the pair of elongated solid state hinges substantially point to a center portion of the second substrate.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second substrate has an area smaller than that of the first substrate, wherein the device comprises two pairs of solid state hinges, and wherein the two solid state hinges in each pair are substantially aligned.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second substrates are semiconductor substrates; and

the first and second elongated electrical conductors are formed using implantation.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second substrates are semiconductor substrates; and

the first and second elongated electrical conductors are formed using nano imprinting technology.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the gap is about 5 nm or less.

17. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one first elongated electrical conductor and the at least one second elongated electrical conductor are a directly opposed pair aligned parallel with a plane of the webs.

19. The device of claim 3, wherein webs of the at least one pair of solid state hinges each are substantially thinner in the motion direction parallel to the surface of the first substrate than in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate.

9. A device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate mounted on the first substrate by at least one pair of elongated solid state hinges, wherein the pair of solid state hinges are substantially aligned to each other along their elongated direction and are opposing to each other from different sides of the second substrate;

a first plurality of elongated electrical conductors extending in a first direction located on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate;

a second plurality of elongated electrical conductors extending in a second direction which is the same as the first direction, located on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate;

wherein;

the pair of solid state hinges are integral with and linking the first and second substrates to relatively locate the first and second substrates such that the surfaces thereof are parallel and a gap therebetween is maintained at is about 15 nm or less such that each of the first plurality of elongated electrical conductors are located opposed to a corresponding conductor of the second plurality of elongated electrical conductors at a distance permitting a detectable quantum tunneling current when a suitable electrical potential difference is applied between the first and second elongated electrical conductors; and

the pair of solid state hinges permit a motion of the second substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the first substrate but substantially prohibits a motion of the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate, wherein the pair of solid state hinges are also configured to provide electrical connection to at least one of the first or second plurality of elongated electrical conductors.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one pair of solid state hinges each comprise at least one outstanding pillar or post from one of the first and second substrates and a web integrally joining the pillar to an edge region of the other of the first and second substrates.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the second substrate has an area smaller than that of the first substrate, wherein the device includes only one pair of elongated solid state hinges, and wherein the pair of elongated solid state hinges substantially point to a center portion of the second substrate.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the first and second substrates are semiconductor substrates; and

the first plurality and the second plurality of elongated electrical conductors are formed using implantation.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the first and second substrates are semiconductor substrates; and

the first plurality and the second plurality of elongated electrical conductors are formed using nano imprinting technology.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the device includes only four solid state hinges mounting the second substrate on the first substrate;

the solid state hinges are equi-angularly spaced with respect to a center of the second substrate,

at least two of the solid state hinges are aligned with the center of the second substrate, and

the motion comprises an angular rotation within the plane of the second substrate.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the motion comprises an angular rotation.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein a gap between the second substrate and the first substrate is about 5 nm or less.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of elongated electrical conductors and the second plurality of elongated electrical conductors are disposed in directly opposed pairs aligned parallel with a plane of the web.

20. A device comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate mounted over the first substrate by at least one pair of elongated solid state hinges, wherein the pair of solid state hinges are substantially aligned to each other along their elongated direction and are opposing to each other from different sides of the second substrate;

a first elongated electrical conductor located over a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate; and

a second elongated electrical conductor located over a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate;

wherein;

the pair of solid state hinges are integral with and linking the first and second substrates to relatively locate the first and second substrates such that the surface of the first substrate and the surface of the second substrate are substantially parallel and that a gap between the two surfaces is maintained at about 15 nm or less such that the first and second elongated electrical conductors have a detectable quantum tunneling current therebetween if a suitable electrical potential difference is applied between the first and second elongated electrical conductors;

the at least one pair of solid state hinges are configured to permit a motion of the second substrate in a direction substantially parallel, but not in a direction perpendicular, to the surface of the second substrate; and

the gap does not substantially vary during said motion.