The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 28, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 11, 2004
Jengping LU, San Jose, CA (US);
Eugene M. Chow, Stanford, CA (US);
Jackson H. Ho, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Chinnwen Shih, Santa Clara, CA (US);
JengPing Lu, San Jose, CA (US);
Eugene M. Chow, Stanford, CA (US);
Jackson H. Ho, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Chinnwen Shih, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus integrating electrostatically actuated MEMS devices and high voltage driver (actuator) electronics on a single substrate, where the driver electronics utilize offset-gate high voltage thin-film transistors (HVTFTs) that facilitate the transmission of high actuating voltages using relatively low control voltages, thereby facilitating the formation of large arrays of electrostatically-actuated MEMS devices. The driver circuit is arranged such that the high actuating voltage is applied to an actuating electrode of the actuated MEMS device and drain electrode of the HVTFT when the HVTFT is turned off, thereby minimizing dielectric breakdown. When the HVTFT is turned on in response to the relatively low control voltage, the high actuating voltage is discharged to ground from the drain (offset) electrode to the source (not offset) electrode.