Micro-medical Devices, Inc.

University of Minnesota

General Electric Company

Other

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Dennis L Polla

Arthur Guy Erdman

John A Costin

David J Peichel

Richard J Saia

Mario Ghezzo

Bharat S Bagepalli

Leo T Furcht

Imdad Imam

Ronald C McGlennen

Peter J Schiller

Nabeel Agha Riza

Robert Miles Young

Carl Baldwin Freidhoff

Christopher P Yakymyshyn

Shayne M Zurn

Joon Han Kim

Takashi Tamagawa

An automatic lens delivery device using a linear actuator which is specially adapted for low torque, low heat applications, and can be used to insert a lens into a user's eye. The linear actuator uses two semiconductor devices which are moved one relative to the other. The movable device pushes a push rod that delivers a lens.

Foldable lens delivery system

A genetic testing system includes a miniaturized thermal cycling device and an integrated, unitary microchip based detection device with microfluidic controls, on chip electronics. The genetic testing system further uses dipped or coated polymeric materials on processed silicon as a means to facilitate amplification chemistry.

Integrated microchip genetic testing system

A micromechanical device or microactuator based upon the piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electrostrictive properties of ferroelectric thin film ceramic materials such as PZT. The microdevice has a device substrate and a deflectable component. The deflectable component is mounted for deflection on the device substrate and has a sensor/actuator. The sensor/actuator has first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric thin film disposed between the first and second electrodes. The thin film is preferably PZT. The sensor/actuator is disposed on a sensor/actuator substrate. The sensor/actuator substrate is formed of a material selected for being resistive to attack by hydrofluoric acid vapor. The invention also relates to a method for fabricating such micromechanical devices or microactuators.

PZT microdevice

Vertical field emission devices are described with very small cathode to anode separations. Preferred cathodes have sharp edge emitters extending, outward perpendicular to the surface of the underlying substrate. These sharp edge emitters are produced within planar photolithography by coating sacrificial conformal walls and anisotropic etching. Microencapsulation is used to produce a sealed cavity at low pressure which includes the space between the anode and cathode. The field emission components can be adapted for the production of light emitting, field emission diodes. The individual cathode emitters can be integrated with solid state components on the substrate with each cathode being independently addressable. Arrays of closely packed light emitting, field emission diodes of the present invention are particularly suitable for use in displays. These displays would be useful for flat-panel computer displays and high definition television.

Vertical field emission devices and methods of fabrication with

A linear actuator device. A first mode of operation uses a single clamping technique whereby a piezoelectric element is slowly expanded, in a way such that a clamping force between that element and its base holds it in place. The piezoelectric element is then contracted in size very quickly, and the inertia created by that action overcomes the clamping force and moves relative to the base. A second mode uses a double clamping technique where first the rear is clamped and the front moved forward then the front is clamped and the rear moved forward. All of these embodiments preferably use semiconductor materials, enabling formation of very thin layers and small devices.

Miniature linear motion actuator

A micromechanical structure or microactuator based upon the piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electrostrictive properties of ferroelectric thin film ceramic materials such as PZT with a thickness between 0.1 and 10 micrometers. The thin film ceramic material is sandwiched between first and second electrodes and may contain an intermediate electrically insulating thin film. This structure with electrodes is formed on a deformable or movable structure integral to a semiconductor or bulk ceramic substrate. Electrical connection is established between the upper and lower electrodes. A potential difference or voltage is established between the electrical interconnection points to produce a force, movement, or mechanical deformation. The invention also relates to a method for making such micromechanical structures or microactuators.

Microdevice with ferroelectric for sensing or applying a force

A pump is provided for use in a solid state mass-spectrograph for analyzing a sample gas. The spectrograph is formed from a semiconductor substrate having a cavity with an inlet, gas ionizing section adjacent the inlet, a mass filter section adjacent the gas ionizing section and a detector section adjacent the mass filter section. The pump is connected to each of the sections of said cavity and evacuates the cavity and draws the sample gas into the cavity. The pump includes at least one piezoelectrically-actuated diaphragm. Upon piezoelectrical actuation, the diaphragm accomplishes a suction stroke which evacuates the cavity and draws the sample gas into the cavity. Preferably, the diaphragm is formed from a pair of electrodes sandwiching a piezoelectric layer.

Micro-miniature piezoelectric diaphragm pump for the low pressure

Micromachining methods for fabricating micromechanical structures which include plunger elements free to reciprocate within cavities are fabricated using processing steps in common with those employed in high density interconnect (HDI) technology for multi-chip module packaging. A polymer, such as a polyimide, is utilized as a micromachinable material. In one embodiment, cavities are formed in the polymer material by laser ablation, employing a sacrificial layer as a mask. Electroplated copper may be employed as a sacrificial release layer. One particular structure is a micromechanical electric switch including an array of individual switch contacts actuatable in common.

Micromachining methods for making micromechanical moving structures

Micromechanical moving structures including multiple contact switching

A microelectromechanical photonic switch includes first and second waveguides. Insulative cladding containing a gap and having a lower refractive index than the refractive indices of the first and second waveguides is situated between the first and second waveguides. One electrode comprising an at least partially transparent material is situated on the same side of the gap as the second waveguide. An additional electrode is provided either on the same side of the gap as the first waveguide or over a piezoelectric strip above a cladding layer on the second waveguide. At least one of the electrodes is capable of being advanced towards the other of the electrodes so as to cause one of the first and second waveguides to advance towards the other of the first and second waveguides.

Growing community of inventors

Brooklyn Park, MN, United States of America

Dennis L Polla