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:
Nov. 13, 2012
Filed:
May. 07, 2009
Placid M. Ferreira, Champaign, IL (US);
Jingyan Dong, Apex, NC (US);
Deepkishore Mukhopadhyay, Chicago, IL (US);
Placid M. Ferreira, Champaign, IL (US);
Jingyan Dong, Apex, NC (US);
Deepkishore Mukhopadhyay, Chicago, IL (US);
The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (US);
Abstract
MEMS stages comprising a plurality of comb drive actuators provide micro and up to nano-positioning capability. Flexure hinges and folded springs that operably connect the actuator to a movable end stage provide independent motion from each of the actuators that minimizes unwanted off-axis displacement, particularly for three-dimensional movement of a cantilever. Also provided are methods for using and making MEMS stages. In an aspect, a process provides a unitary MEMS stage made from a silicon-on-insulator wafer that avoids any post-fabrication assembly steps. Further provided are various devices that incorporate any of the stages disclosed herein, such as devices requiring accurate positioning systems in applications including scanning probe microscopy, E-jet printing, near-field optic sensing, cell probing and material characterization.