Texas Instruments Corporation

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Cuiling Gong

James Norman Hall

Jianbai Jenn Wang

Lance W Barron

Henry C Chu

Frank M Caimi

Larry J Hornbeck

Fraser R Dalgleish

Rabah Mezenner

Weilin Hou

Jason Michael Neidrich

Bing Ouyang

Anni Dalgleish

A self-powered piezoelectric energy harvesting microsystem device has CMOS integrated circuit elements, contacts and interconnections formed at a proof mass portion of a die region of a semiconductor wafer. Piezoelectric energy harvesting unit components connected to the integrated circuit elements are formed at a thinned beam portion of the die region that connects the proof mass portion for vibration relative to a surrounding anchor frame portion. A battery provided on the proof mass portion connects to the integrated circuit elements. In a cantilever architectural example, the battery is advantageously located at a distal end of the proof mass portion, opposite the joinder with frame portion via the beam portion.

Self-powered piezoelectric energy harvesting microsystem

Embodiments relate to compressive line sensing imaging. Initially, a codebook is configured with a pattern sequence for a series of illumination patterns. Each light element in an individually addressable laser diode array (IALDA) is independently controlled to project the series of illumination patterns onto a target. Next, measurements of the target are acquired based on the series of illumination patterns. The codebook is then used to decode the measurements to create an image of the target.

Compressive line sensing imaging using individually addressable laser diode array

A piezoelectric energy harvester device has a cantilevered structure with a rectangular proof mass portion defined by holes through a substrate along three sides of a proof mass portion and supported by a thinned hinge portion for free pivotal movement relative to an anchor portion. Elongated strips of piezoelectric energy harvesting units are formed in side-by-side spaced positions on the hinge portion and aligned parallel or perpendicular to a stress direction. Multiplexing electronics coupled to contact pads on the anchor portion selectively connects different strip combinations to power management circuitry, responsive to variations in vibration magnitude or modes.

Piecewise piezoelectric energy harvester

A MEMS logic device comprising agate which pivots on a torsion hinge, two conductive channels on the gate, one on each side of the torsion hinge, source and drain landing pads under the channels, and two body bias elements under the gate, one on each side of the torsion hinge, so that applying a threshold bias between one body bias element and the gate will pivot the gate so that one channel connects the respective source and drain landing pad, and vice versa. An integrated circuit with MEMS logic devices on the dielectric layer, with the source and drain landing pads connected to metal interconnects of the integrated circuit. A process of forming the MEM switch.

MEMS device and method of manufacture

A method of tilting a micromirror includes forming a substrate, a micromirror outwardly from the substrate, and at least one electrode inwardly from the micromirror. The method further includes applying, by the at least one electrode, electrostatic forces sufficient to pivot the micromirror about a pivot point. In addition, the method includes providing the at least one electrode with a sloped outer surface. The sloped outer surface has a first end and a second end. The second end is closer to the pivot point than the first end, and the first end is closer to the substrate than the second end. The method also includes providing at least a portion of the at least one electrode with material properties that at least partially contribute to the sloped profile of the sloped outer surface.

Sloping electrodes in a spatial light modulator

According to one embodiment of the present invention a micro-mirror element comprises a lower layer, a first middle layer, a second middle layer, and a micro-mirror. The lower layer includes an address portion for receiving an address voltage and a bias portion for receiving a bias voltage respectively. The first middle layer is electrically coupled to the bias portion of the lower layer. The second middle layer is electrically coupled to the first middle layer. The micro-mirror is coupled to the second middle layer and comprises a reflective surface operable to selectively tilt, in response to an application of a bias voltage and an address voltage to the lower layer, to reflect a beam of light.

Micro-mirror element with double binge

According to one embodiment of the present invention a micro-mirror element comprises a first address portion, a second address portion, and one or more address vias. The first address portion comprises a plurality of address pads distributed in a first layer of the micro-mirror element. The micro-mirror element has a first side and a second side and at least two of the plurality of address pads are distributed on the first side. The second address portion comprises a plurality of address electrodes distributed in a second layer of the micro-mirror element. The one or more address vias are operable to conductively couple the first address portion to the second address portion for the transfer of an address voltage from the first address portion to the second address portion. The distribution of the address pads of the first address portion and the address electrodes of the second address portion causes an electrostatic force provided by the second address portion to be greater than an electrostatic force provided by the first address portion.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Cuiling Gong