Mechanical layer and methods of forming the same
First Claim
1. An electromechanical device, comprising:
- a substrate;
a partially reflective optical stack disposed on the substrate;
a movable mechanical layer positioned so that the partially reflective optical stack is between the mechanical layer and the substrate, the mechanical layer including a reflective layer, a conductive layer, and a supporting layer that is disposed between the reflective layer and the conductive layer, wherein the supporting layer is anchored on the optical stack in an optically non-active anchor region and extends from the anchor region away from the optical stack spacing the mechanical layer from the optical stack to define a collapsible gap between the mechanical layer and the optical stack; and
a dielectric layer disposed on the mechanical layer such that the mechanical layer is between the dielectric layer and the collapsible gap,wherein the mechanical layer is movable to an actuated position and a relaxed position by applying a voltage across the mechanical layer and a stationary electrode disposed between the substrate and the collapsible gap, and wherein the collapsible gap is in a collapsed state when the mechanical layer is in the actuated position and the gap is in a non-collapsed state when the mechanical layer is in the relaxed position, and wherein the mechanical layer further includes a kink disposed adjacent to the anchor region and in at least a portion of an optically non-active region, wherein the kink includes an upwardly extending portion of the mechanical layer configured to control at least one of a height of the collapsible gap and a curvature of the mechanical layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure provides mechanical layers and methods of forming the same. In one aspect, an electromechanical systems device includes a substrate and a mechanical layer having an actuated position and a relaxed position. The mechanical layer is spaced from the substrate to define a collapsible gap. The gap is in a collapsed condition when the mechanical layer is in the actuated position and in a non-collapsed condition when the mechanical layer is in the relaxed position. The mechanical layer includes a reflective layer, a conductive layer, and a supporting layer. The supporting layer is positioned between the reflective layer and the conductive layer and is configured to support the mechanical layer.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An electromechanical device, comprising:
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a substrate; a partially reflective optical stack disposed on the substrate; a movable mechanical layer positioned so that the partially reflective optical stack is between the mechanical layer and the substrate, the mechanical layer including a reflective layer, a conductive layer, and a supporting layer that is disposed between the reflective layer and the conductive layer, wherein the supporting layer is anchored on the optical stack in an optically non-active anchor region and extends from the anchor region away from the optical stack spacing the mechanical layer from the optical stack to define a collapsible gap between the mechanical layer and the optical stack; and a dielectric layer disposed on the mechanical layer such that the mechanical layer is between the dielectric layer and the collapsible gap, wherein the mechanical layer is movable to an actuated position and a relaxed position by applying a voltage across the mechanical layer and a stationary electrode disposed between the substrate and the collapsible gap, and wherein the collapsible gap is in a collapsed state when the mechanical layer is in the actuated position and the gap is in a non-collapsed state when the mechanical layer is in the relaxed position, and wherein the mechanical layer further includes a kink disposed adjacent to the anchor region and in at least a portion of an optically non-active region, wherein the kink includes an upwardly extending portion of the mechanical layer configured to control at least one of a height of the collapsible gap and a curvature of the mechanical layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device, comprising:
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a substrate; means for partially reflecting light, the partially reflecting means disposed on the substrate; movable means for reflecting light, the movable reflecting means positioned so that the partially reflecting means is between the movable reflecting means and the substrate, the movable reflecting means including a means for supporting the movable reflecting means, the supporting means anchored on the partially reflecting means in an optically non-active anchor region, wherein the supporting means extends from the anchor region away from the partially reflecting means spacing the movable reflecting means from the partially reflecting means to define a collapsible gap between the movable reflecting means and the partially reflecting means; and a dielectric layer disposed on the movable reflecting means such that the supporting means is between the dielectric layer and the collapsible gap, wherein the movable reflecting means is movable to an actuated position and a relaxed position by applying a voltage across the movable reflecting means and a stationary electrode disposed between the substrate and the collapsible gap, and wherein the collapsible gap is in a collapsed state when the movable reflecting means is in the actuated position and the gap is in a non-collapsed state when the movable reflecting means is in the relaxed position, wherein the movable reflecting means further includes a kink disposed adjacent to the anchor region and in at least a portion of an optically non-active region, wherein the kink includes an upwardly extending portion of the movable reflecting means configured to control at least one of a height of the collapsible gap and a curvature of the movable reflecting means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of forming a mechanical layer in an electromechanical device, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate; forming an optical stack over the substrate; providing a sacrificial layer over the optical stack; removing a portion of the sacrificial layer that is disposed over an anchoring region; forming a mechanical layer over the sacrificial layer and the anchoring region, wherein forming the mechanical layer includes providing a reflective layer over the sacrificial layer, removing a portion of the reflective layer that is disposed over the anchoring region, providing a supporting layer over the reflective layer such that a portion of the supporting layer contacts the anchoring region, and providing a conductive layer over the supporting layer; depositing a dielectric layer over the conductive layer; removing the sacrificial layer to form a collapsible gap between the mechanical layer and the substrate; and depositing a shaping layer over at least a portion of the substrate adjacent to the anchoring region, the shaping layer including at least one protrusion that extends away from the substrate, wherein the optical stack is formed over the shaping layer, and wherein forming the mechanical layer includes forming the mechanical layer over the at least one protrusion such that a kink is formed in a portion of the mechanical layer over the at least one protrusion, wherein the kink includes an upwardly extending portion of the mechanical layer configured to control at least one of a height of the collapsible gap after removing the sacrificial layer and a curvature of the mechanical layer after removing the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification