Microelectromechanical device provided with an anti-stiction structure, and corresponding anti-stiction method
First Claim
1. A microelectromechanical device comprising:
- a first structural element;
a second structural element movable with respect to said first structural element, the second structural element including a trench facing a side of the second structural element;
an elastic supporting structure extending between said first and second structural elements and configured to enable a relative movement between said first and second structural elements; and
an anti-stiction structure including a flexible element fixed to the second structural element and, in a rest condition thereof, arranged at a first distance from the first structural element, said anti-stiction structure being configured to generate a repulsive force between the first and the second structural elements prior to the first and the second structural elements contacting each other and after a relative movement of an amount greater than said first distance, said flexible element extending within the trench and having an elongated shape with a first end portion fixed to said second structural element and a second end portion provided with a protruding portion facing and arranged at said first distance from said first structural element.
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Abstract
An embodiment of a microelectromechanical device having a first structural element, a second structural element, which is mobile with respect to the first structural element, and an elastic supporting structure, which extends between the first and second structural elements to enable a relative movement between the first and second structural elements. The microelectromechanical device moreover possesses an anti-stiction structure, which includes at least one flexible element, which is fixed only with respect to the first structural element and, in a condition of rest, is set at a first distance from the second structural element. The anti-stiction structure is designed to generate a repulsive force between the first and second structural elements in the case of relative movement by an amount greater than the first distance.
11 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A microelectromechanical device comprising:
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a first structural element; a second structural element movable with respect to said first structural element, the second structural element including a trench facing a side of the second structural element; an elastic supporting structure extending between said first and second structural elements and configured to enable a relative movement between said first and second structural elements; and an anti-stiction structure including a flexible element fixed to the second structural element and, in a rest condition thereof, arranged at a first distance from the first structural element, said anti-stiction structure being configured to generate a repulsive force between the first and the second structural elements prior to the first and the second structural elements contacting each other and after a relative movement of an amount greater than said first distance, said flexible element extending within the trench and having an elongated shape with a first end portion fixed to said second structural element and a second end portion provided with a protruding portion facing and arranged at said first distance from said first structural element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate; a mobile mass having a trench facing a side of the mobile mass; a first elastic member having a first end coupled to the substrate and having a second end coupled to the mass; and an anti-stiction structure including an anti-stiction element coupled to the mass and, in a rest condition thereof, arranged at a first distance from the substrate, said anti-stiction structure being configured to generate a repulsive force between the mass and substrate prior to the mobile mass and the substrate contacting each other and after a relative movement of an amount greater than said first distance, said anti-stiction element having an elongated shape extending in the trench of the mass and having a first end coupled to said movable mass. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a first integrated circuit that includes; a first structural element; a second structural element movable with respect to said first structural element, the second structural element including a trench facing a side of the second structural element; an elastic supporting structure extending between said first and second structural elements and configured to enable a relative movement between said first and second structural elements; and an anti-stiction structure including a flexible element fixed to the second structural element and, in a rest condition thereof, arranged at a first distance from the first structural element, said anti-stiction structure being configured to generate a repulsive force between the first and the second structural elements prior to the first and second structural elements contacting each other and after a relative movement of an amount greater than said first distance, said flexible element extending within the trench and having an elongated shape with a first end portion fixed to said second structural element and a second end portion provided with a protruding portion facing and arranged at said first distance from said first structural element, and a second integrated circuit coupled to the first integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate; a mobile mass having a trench facing a side of the mobile mass; a first elastic member, the first elastic member having a first end coupled to the substrate and having a second end coupled to the mass; and an anti-stiction structure including an anti-stiction element coupled to the mass and, in a rest condition thereof, arranged at a first distance from the substrate, said anti-stiction structure being configured to generate a repulsive force between the mass and substrate in the case of a relative movement of an amount greater than said first distance, said anti-stiction element having an elongated shape extending in the trench of the mass and having a first end coupled to said movable mass;
wherein;the substrate has substantially perpendicular first and second surfaces; and the second end of the first elastic member is coupled to the first surface, the apparatus further comprising; a second elastic member that protrudes from the second surface and is disposed between the mass and the first surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification