Mounting flexure contacts

• US 8,605,375 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Gutierrez, Roman C., Jain, Ankur
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US12/946,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20120120507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 359/824, 438/430
• US Class Current: 359/824
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/033 Comb drives
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0154 Torsion bars
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2207/07 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 7/0006 Interconnects
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/005 Mechanical details, e.g. housings casings for dynamo-electric machines H02K5/00

Abstract

A device may comprise a flexure formed of a first semiconductor material. A first trench may be formed in the flexure. The first trench may separate the first semiconductor material into a first portion and a second portion thereof. An oxide layer may be formed in the first trench. The oxide layer may extend over a top portion of the first semiconductor material. A second semiconductor material may be formed on the oxide layer. The first trench and the oxide layer may cooperate to electrically isolate the first portion and the second portion from one another.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a flexure formed of a first semiconductor material and interconnecting two structures;

a first trench formed in the flexure and separating the first semiconductor material into a first portion and a second portion thereof;

an oxide layer formed in the first trench and extending over a top portion of the first semiconductor material;

a second semiconductor material formed on the oxide layer;

wherein the first trench and the oxide layer cooperate to electrically isolate the first portion and the second portion from one another; and

wherein the flexure is configured to restrict motion along one direction while allowing motion along another direction for one of the two structures with respect to the other of the two structures.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor material facilitates electrical contact between a contact on one side of the flexure and an actuator on another side of the flexure.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first trench is formed substantially perpendicular to a length of the flexure.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor material is single crystalline silicon and the second semiconductor material is polysilicon.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first trench is formed by a deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) process.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pad comprised of single crystalline silicon and formed upon the first portion.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a second trench formed through the pad;

an oxide layer formed within the second trench; and

polysilicon formed upon the oxide layer and extending from an upper surface of the pad to a bottom surface of the pad.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, further comprising a metal contact in electrical communication with the polysilicon.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the metal contact is formed upon the pad and wherein the pad and an outer frame are on opposite sides of the flexure.

10. An electronic device comprising the device of claim 1.

11. A system comprising:

an outer frame;

an actuator formed to the outer frame;

a flexure formed of a first semiconductor material and formed to the outer frame, the flexure interconnecting the outer frame with a structure;

a first trench formed in the flexure and separating the first semiconductor material into a first portion and a second portion thereof;

an oxide layer formed in the first trench and extending over a top portion of the first semiconductor material;

a second semiconductor material formed on the oxide layer;

wherein the first trench and the oxide layer cooperate to electrically isolate the first portion and the second portion from one another; and

wherein the flexure is configured to restrict motion along one direction while allowing motion along another direction for the outer frame with respect to the structure.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the second semiconductor material facilitates electrical contact between a contact on one side of the flexure and an actuator on another side of the flexure.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first trench is formed substantially perpendicular to a length of the flexure.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor material is single crystalline silicon and the second semiconductor material is polysilicon.

15. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first trench is formed by a deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) process.

16. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising a pad comprised of single crystalline silicon and formed upon the first portion.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a second trench formed through the pad;

an oxide layer formed within the second trench; and

polysilicon formed upon the oxide layer and extending from an upper surface of the pad to a bottom surface of the pad.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a metal contact in electrical communication with the polysilicon.

19. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the structure comprises a pad, the metal contact is formed upon the pad, and wherein the pad and the outer frame are on opposite sides of the flexure.

20. An electronic device comprising the system of claim 11.

21. A method comprising:

forming a flexure that interconnects two structures;

forming a trench within the flexure;

forming an oxide layer within the trench;

forming a conductive material upon the oxide layer; and

wherein the flexure is configured to restrict motion along one direction while allowing motion along another direction for one of the two structures with respect to the other of the two structures.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein:

the forming a flexure comprises forming a flexure comprised of a first semiconductor material; and

the forming a conductive material upon the oxide layer comprises forming a conductive material comprised of a second semiconductor material.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the conductive material facilitates electrical contact between a contact on one side of the flexure and an actuator on another side of the flexure.

24. A method comprising:

providing an actuator device and a lens barrel;

applying a voltage to an actuator of the actuator device via a conductor formed in a trench of a flexure of the actuator device; and

wherein the flexure attaches the actuator device to the lens barrel.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising moving an optical element with the actuator device.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the conductor facilitates electrical contact between a contact on one side of the flexure and an actuator on another side of the flexure.