Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

Doug Webb

Gabriel C Risk

Jim Hunter

Laura A Smoliar

A pendulum motor having a stator and a cantilever beam moveable by an electrostatic force to predetermined positions relative to a supporting structure. A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) mechanism is formed on a semiconductor substrate using process steps that are completely compatible with current CMOS technology. A cantilever beam is fixed at one end to a structural layer and an electrode arrangement that provides an electrostatic field across a gap between the beam and a stator. A force between the beam and the stator generated by the electrostatic field results in movement of the free end of the beam relative to the stator. The free end of the beam may then be displaced by a predetermined amount from an equilibrium position and held in place by means of an applied electrostatic field. Movement of the free end of the beam is in a plane parallel to the surface of the support structure and it may follow either a circular or a non-circular path. The beam may be used as a waveguide to form a 1&times;N switch, the signal entering the fixed end of the beam and exiting the free end of the beam at one of N receptors depending upon beam displacement. In a second embodiment, a 1&times;N switch is formed using attached fiber optics. In a third embodiment, two pendulum motors configured fixed end to fixed end are used to form a one channel M&times;N switch.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Doug Webb