Texas Instruments Corporation

Larry J Hornbeck

William E Nelson

Richard Lee Knipe

Simon Joshua Jacobs

James D Huffman

Patrick Ian Oden

Jason Michael Neidrich

Cuiling Gong

James Thomas Carlo

Harold H Hosack

Disclosed herein is a dielectric microstructure with a substantially unit dielectric constant K for use in microelectromechanical systems.

Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices with dielectric microstructure motion stopper

A deformable element for use in microelectromechanical systems comprises a core layer and a protective layer. The protective layer is capable of deterring combinations of undesired chemical components in operational environments with the core layer of the deformable element.

Multilayered deformable element with reduced memory properties in a MEMS device

A stabilizer mechanism is coupled to a deformable element of a microelectromechanical device for reducing unwanted deformation of the deformable element by increasing the stiffness of the deformable element in selected other directions than the direction along which desired deformation is performed.

Stabilizer for MEMS devices having deformable elements

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

A one transistor one capacitor micromirror with DRAM memory cell built around a large polysilicon-to-substrate capacitor which is not susceptible to recombination of photo-generated carriers caused by illumination in the projector. This large polysilicon-to-substrate capacitor overshadows the much smaller inherent parallel depletion capacitance which is sensitive to light. The device is further 100% shielded from exposed light by metal layers and the address node is located under the center of the micromirror mirror to obtain maximum shielding of light for the smaller, light sensitive, depletion portion of the capacitance. As a result the micromirror of this invention can adequately hold the cell charge in excess of the device load time of 300 &mgr;Sec even in extremely high brightness projector applications. This invention also provides a feature which automatically forces micromirror mirrors located over bad CMOS memory cell to the dark state, which is much less objectionable in most applications, thereby improving the overall effective processing yield.

Memory architecture for micromirror cell

A support pillar for use with a micromechanical device, particularly a digital micromirror device, comprising a pillar material supported by a substrate and covered with a metal layer . The support pillar is fabricated by depositing a layer of pillar material on a substrate , patterning the pillar layer to define a support pillar , and depositing a metal layer over the support pillar enclosing the support pillar. A planar surface even with the top of the pillar may be created by applying a spacer layer over the pillars . After applying the spacer layer , holes are patterned into the spacer layer to remove any spacer material that is covering the pillars. The spacer layer is then reflowed to fill the holes and lower the surface of the spacer layer such that the surface is coplanar with the tops of the support pillars

Support post architecture for micromechanical devices

A high-yield micromirror device and fabrication method. Address electrodes (,) and a separate mirror bias/reset conductor (,) are disposed on a substrate (,). A micromirror superstructure including torsion beam support posts (,), torsion beam hinges (,), a torsion beam yoke (,), a mirror support post (,), and a mirror (,) is fabricated above, and electrically connected to, the mirror bias/reset conductor (,) such that the torsion beam yoke (,) and mirror (,) are suspended above the address electrodes (,). A dielectric layer (,) is formed over the address electrodes (,). The dielectric layer (,), coupled with the elimination of upper address electrodes used in the prior art electrically insulates the address electrodes (,) from contact with the mirror superstructure and prevents conductive debris from shorting either the mirror superstructure or mirror bias/reset conductor (,) to the address electrodes (,).

Yield superstructure for digital micromirror device

A support pillar 426 for use with a micromechanical device, particularly a digital micromirror device, comprising a pillar material 422 supported by a substrate 400 and covered with a metal layer 406. The support pillar 426 is fabricated by depositing a layer of pillar material on a substrate 400, patterning the pillar layer to define a support pillar 426, and depositing a metal layer 406 over the support pillar 426 enclosing the support pillar. A planar surface even with the top of the pillar may be created by applying a spacer layer 432 over the pillars 426. After applying the spacer layer 432, holes 434 are patterned into the spacer layer to remove any spacer material that is covering the pillars. The spacer layer is then reflowed to fill the holes and lower the surface of the spacer layer such that the surface is coplanar with the tops of the support pillars 426.

Method of making a support post for a micromechanical device

It is possible to use an oriented monolayer to limit the Van der Waals forces between two elements by passivation. An oriented monolayer (34) is formed on a surface of a micromechanical device. When the surface comes in contact with another surface, the oriented monolayer decreases the Van der Waals forces to reduce the attraction between the surfaces.

Low surface energy passivation layer for micromechanical devices

A bistable deformable mirror device (DMD) pixel architecture is disclosed, wherein the torsion hinges are placed in a layer different from the torsion beam layer. This results in pixels which can be scaled to smaller dimensions while at the same time maintaining a large fractional active area, an important consideration for bright, high-density displays such as are used in high-definition television applications.

Multi-level deformable mirror device with torsion hinges placed in a

An improved hidden hinge digital micromirror device, and method of making the same, having hinges 424 attached to a yoke 428 which limits the rotation of the device mirror 430. In one embodiment, the mirror 430 is supported by a center support post 416 attached to two torsion hinges 424 by a landing hinge yoke 428. The ends of the torsion hinges 424 are attached to two support posts 426 which hold the hinges 424 above the substrate 400 and allow the hinges 424 to twist in a torsional fashion. The device is fabricated using two sacrificial spacer layers 404, 414 which are removed to allow the mirror 430 to rotate.

Multi-level digital micromirror device

A spatial light modulator (10) of the DMD type having increased performance parameters. A pixel mirror (30) is supported by a yoke (32), whereby electrostatic attraction forces (70, 76, 80, 82) are generated between several structures. First, between the elevated mirror (30) and an elevated address electrode (50, 52). Second, between the yoke (32) and an underlying address electrode (26, 28). The pixel (30) achieves high address torque, high latching torques, high reset forces, and greater address margins over previous generation devices. The proximity of the yoke (32) over the substrate address electrodes (26, 28) realizes large attraction forces whereby the pixel is less susceptible to address upset, requires lower reset voltages and provides higher switching speeds.

Active yoke hidden hinge digital micromirror device

It is possible to use an oriented monolayer to limit the Van der Waals forces between two elements by passivation. The invention disclosed here details how to do so by building the device to be passivated, cleaning the surface to be passivated, activating the surface, heating it along with the material to be used as the monolayer, exposing a vapor of the material to the surface and evacuating the excess material, leaving only the monolayer.

Method of producing micromechanical devices

It is possible to use an oriented monolayer to limit the Van der Waals forces between two elements by passivation. An oriented monolayer (34) is formed upon the landing electrode (10) of a spatial light modulator element. When the element is activated and deflects to come in contact with the landing electrode, the oriented monolayer decreases the Van der Waals forces and prevents the element from sticking to the electrode.

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Van Alstyne, TX, United States of America

Larry J Hornbeck