Cavendish Kinetics Limited

General Electric Company

University of Cambridge

Charles Gordon Smith

Richard Lee Knipe

Robertus Petrus Van Kampen

Roberto Gaddi

Vikram Joshi

Anartz Unamuno

Michael J Kelly

Moeketsi Mpholo

Micahel Pepper

David A Wharam

Robert J Brown

Benjamin Brown

Andrew John Weeks

Jack Luo

Robert Van Kampen

Robertus P Van Kampen

Willibrordus Gerardus Van Den Hoek

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS DVC utilizing one or more MIM capacitors. The MIM capacitor may be disposed between the MEMS device and the RF pad or the MIM capacitor may be integrated into the MEMS device itself. The MIM capacitor ensures that a low resistance for the MEMS DVC is achieved.

DVC utilizing MEMS resistive switches and MIM capacitors

The present invention generally relates to methods for increasing the lifetime of MEMS devices by reducing the landing velocity on switching by introducing gas into the cavity surrounding the switching element of the MEMS device. The gas is introduced using ion implantation into a cavity close to the cavity housing the switching element and connected to that cavity by a channel through which the gas can flow from one cavity to the other. The implantation energy is chosen to implant many of the atoms close to the inside roof and floor of the cavity so that on annealing those atoms diffuse into the cavity. The gas provides gas damping which reduces the kinetic energy of the switching MEMS device which then should have a longer lifetime.

Implantation of gaseous chemicals into cavities formed in intermediate dielectrics layers for subsequent thermal diffusion release

Embodiments disclosed herein generally include using a large number of small MEMS devices to replace the function of an individual larger MEMS device or digital variable capacitor. The large number of smaller MEMS devices perform the same function as the larger device, but because of the smaller size, they can be encapsulated in a cavity using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatible processes. Signal averaging over a large number of the smaller devices allows the accuracy of the array of smaller devices to be equivalent to the larger device. The process is exemplified by considering the use of a MEMS based accelerometer switch array with an integrated analog to digital conversion of the inertial response. The process is also exemplified by considering the use of a MEMS based device structure where the MEMS devices operate in parallel as a digital variable capacitor.

Device containing plurality of smaller MEMS devices in place of a larger MEMS device

The current disclosure shows how to make a fast switching array of mirrors for projection displays. Because the mirror does not have a via in the middle connecting to the underlying spring support, there is an improved contrast ratio that results from not having light scatter off the legs or vias like existing technologies. Because there are no supporting contacts, the mirror can be made smaller making smaller pixels that can be used to make higher density displays. In addition, because there is not restoring force from any supporting spring support, the mirror stays in place facing one or other direction due to adhesion. This means there is no need to use a voltage to hold the mirror in position. This means that less power is required to run the display.

Fabrication of a floating rocker MEMS device for light modulation

Embodiments disclosed herein generally solve a stiction problem in switching devices by using a series of pulses of force which take the switch from being strongly adhered to a landing electrode to the point where it is only weakly adhered. Once in the low adhesion state, the switch can then be pulled away from contact with a lower force provided by either the spring constant of the switch and/or the electrostatic forces resulting from low voltages applied to nearby electrodes.

Moving a free-standing structure between high and low adhesion states

A method, in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor fabrication process, of creating a layered housing containing a micro-electromechanical system device, the method comprising the steps of providing a cavity in at least one layer of the housing, the cavity being accessible through via holes in a layer of insulating material deposited thereon, and the layer of insulating material being covered by a thin film layer of conductive material. The method further comprises the step of hydrophobically treating at least a portion of the inner surface of the cavity. Finally the method comprises the steps of submerging the wafer in an electroplating solution and electroplating a conductive layer onto the thin film layer of conductive material such that the cavity remains free of electroplating solution.

Method of enclosing a micro-electromechanical element

A method of manufacturing a micromechanical element wherein the method comprises the steps of providing a layer of base material, applying at least one at least partly sacrificial layer of an etchable material, patterning the at least partly sacrificial layer, to define at least a portion of the shape of the element, applying at least one structural layer of a mechanical material, patterning the structural layer to form at least a portion of the element, and removing at least partly the patterned at least partly sacrificial layer to release partly free the element. The mechanical material is selected from the group of conductive materials.

Method of manufacturing a micro-mechanical element

An apparatus for driving small volumes of fluid. The apparatus comprises a substrate and a first array of electrically conductive electrodes formed on the substrate. A second array of electrically conductive electrodes formed on the substrate, the first and second array being interlaced and being arranged such that each of the electrodes in the second array has a width in a fluid driving direction which is greater than that of each of the electrodes in the first array and such that the first and second set electrodes are positioned so that each of the electrodes of the first set is not at a position equidistant from adjacent electrodes of the second set, wherein both of the arrays of the arrays of electrode having widths in the fluid flow direction and thickness selected such that, in use, by varying the peak value of an alternating drive voltage applied thereto the direction of flow of a fluid adjacent to the arrays of electrodes can be controlled.

Microfluidic movement

A memory element for a flash memory including a first element made from electrically conductive material and having a stable position, an electrically conductive floating gate for storing charge, and means for urging the element from the stable position towards a position enabling a transfer of charge to the floating gate.

Flash memory cell having a flexible element

A micro-mechanical element includes a discrete switching element and a switching means for applying force to the switching element to move the switching element between two stable positions.

Micro-mechanical elements

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device from a plurality of physically separate individual electrical elements comprises manufacturing each of the plurality of elements and verifying the operability of each of the elements. Inoperable elements are discarded and he operable elements retained in a fluid. The retained elements are aligned so that each element is adjacent to at least one other element and the arrangement of elements treated to provide connections therebetween and thereby to produce a single integrated circuit device.

Integrated circuit device manufacture

Bi-stable memory element

Semiconductor apparatus comprises a split-gate semiconductor device (1) which has a first layer (3) of a first undoped semiconductor material (e.g. GaAs) and a second layer (4) of a second semiconductor material (e.g. AlGaAs) which is doped through at least part of its thickness. The second material has a higher energy band gap than the first material, and the layers form a heterojunction so that electrons from the second layer collect in the first layer to form a two-dimensional electron gas. Drain and source contacts (7,6) are provided on the second layers, and a gate electrode (8) is so configured that on application of a sufficiently large negative bias to the gate electrode a constriction is formed in the first layer through which only a one-dimensional electron gas can pass between the source and drain contacts. The apparatus also includes a bias supply (17) for applying a bias voltage between the source and drain contacts. The source/drain bias is made equal to or greater than E.sub.f /e where E.sub.f is the Fermi energy of electrons in the two-dimensional gas and e is the electron charge. As a result of the large source drain bias, the device exhibits negative resistance, and the apparatus can be used as an oscillator or a detector, operating in the Thz range.

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

Charles Gordon Smith