Integrated Micromachines, Inc.

California Institute of Technology

Other

University of California

Denny K Miu

Weilong Tang

Yu-Chong Tai

Viktoria Temesvary

Viktoria A Temesvary

Chih-Ming Ho

Tseng-Yang Hsu

Amish Desai

Brent E Burns

Chang Liu

Shuyun Wu

Tom Tsao

Raanan Miller

Jeremy Tzong-Shyng Leu

James R Clymer

Paul A Endter

A pressure sensor having a flexible membrane which is moved by an external force, such as pressure from an air flow. The flexible membrane extends over a semiconductor frame having an opening, such that a portion of the flexible membrane extends over the semiconductor frame, and a portion of the flexible membrane extends over the opening. An inherent tensile stress is present in the membrane. One or more strain gage resistors are formed on the portion of the membrane which extends over the opening of the semiconductor frame. The membrane deforms in response to an externally applied pressure. As the membrane deforms, the strain gage resistors elongate, thereby increasing the resistances of these resistors. This change in resistance is measured and used to determine the magnitude of the external pressure. In one embodiment, a Wheatstone bridge circuit is used to translate the change in resistance of the strain gage resistors into a differential voltage.

Batch fabricated semiconductor thin-film pressure sensor and method of making same

A fiber-optic microswitch is disclosed that includes a flexible mirror positioning structure including an outer fixed frame, a movable platform upon which a mirror is formed, and two or more resilient support members (e.g., monocrystalline silicon springs or torsion beams) connecting the movable platform to the fixed frame. Stationary fibers are mounted over the mirror. An electromagnetic drive mechanism is provided for positioning the movable platform relative to the fixed frame. The electromagnetic drive mechanism includes one or more coils formed on a drive substrate mounted under the monocrystalline structure, and one or more pole pieces that are mounted on the movable platform. Currents are selectively applied to the coils to generate attractive electromagnetic forces that pull the pole pieces, thereby causing the movable platform to move (e.g., tilt) relative to the fixed frame, thereby selectively directing light from one fiber to another. Various monocrystalline structures are disclosed.

Silicon bulk-micromachined electromagnetic fiber-optics bypass microswitch

A micro-sensor having have a flexible monocrystalline structure that is moved by an external force. In one embodiment, one or more pole tips are mounted on the monocrystalline structure. The monocrystalline structure is suspended over one or more planar coils such that each pole tip is suspended over a corresponding planar coil. As the monocrystalline structure moves in response to the external force, the pole tips are moved in the coils, thereby changing the inductance or inducing a voltage in the coils. In another variation, a micro-switch includes a lower structural member having a pattern of raised spacer pads that laterally surround a plurality of contact pads. The lower structural member is joined to an upper structural member that includes a frame, a platform located in the frame and a plurality of spring elements which connect the frame to the platform. The upper structural member has a conductive layer formed on its planar lower surface. The lower surface of the frame is affixed to the spacer pads, such that the platform is suspended over the contact pads. An external force applied to the resulting structure causes the spring elements to flex, such that the platform moves toward the lower structural member, thereby placing the conductive layer into contact with the contact pads of the lower structural member.

Micromachined acceleration activated mechanical switch and electromagnetic sensor

A micro-switch having a flexible conductive membrane which is moved by an external force, such as pressure from an air flow, to establish a connection between contact pads. The conductive membrane is stretched over one or more spacer pads to introduce deformation in the conductive membrane, thereby improving the accuracy and repeatability of the micro-switch. The spacing between the contact pads and the conductive membrane is precisely controlled by controlling the height difference between the spacer pads and the conductive pads. This height difference is determined by one or more precisely controlled etch operations.

Batch fabricated semiconductor micro-switch

A micro-relay has a flexible monocrystalline structure which is moved by an electromagnetic force to establish a connection between relay contact elements. The micro-relay includes a substrate having a magnetic pathway and one or more coils located over the magnetic pathway. A first contact pad is coupled to the substrate. The monocrystalline structure is suspended over the substrate. A second contact pad and pole pieces are coupled to the monocrystalline structure such that the second contact pad is positioned over the first contact pad, and the pole pieces are located over the coils. A current is applied to the coils to generate an electromagnetic force which flexes the monocrystalline structure toward the substrate, thereby causing the second contact pad to touch the first contact pad. In one embodiment, the coils include insulating spacers located adjacent to the innermost and outermost traces to prevent shorting.

Bulk fabricated electromagnetic micro-relays/micro-switches and method

A bulk micromachined inductive transducer on single crystal silicon. The bulk micromachined micro-device has movable parts integrated with electromagnetically-driven microactuators for moving the parts. The integrated electromagnetic microactuators of the present micromachine move the movable parts in in-plane and/or out-of-plane sub-millimeter level motions in either translational or rotational directions.

Bulk micromachined inductive transducers on silicon

A surface micromachined micromagnetic actuator is provided with a flap capable of achieving large deflections above 100 microns using magnetic force as the actuating force. The flap is coupled by one or more beams to a substrate and is cantilevered over the substrate. A Permalloy layer or a magnetic coil is disposed on the flap such that when the flap is placed in a magnetic field, it can be caused to selectively interact and rotate out of the plane of the magnetic actuator. The cantilevered flap is released from the underlying substrate by etching out an underlying sacrificial layer disposed between the flap and the substrate. The etched out and now cantilevered flap is magnetically actuated to maintain it out of contact with the substrate while the just etched device is dried in order to obtain high release yields.

Growing community of inventors

Valencia, CA, United States of America

Denny K Miu