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.

Date of Patent:
Dec. 19, 2017

Filed:

Sep. 03, 2015
Applicant:

General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);

Inventors:

Joleyn Eileen Brewer, Clifton Park, NY (US);

Christopher Fred Keimel, Schenectady, NY (US);

Marco Francesco Aimi, Niskayuna, NY (US);

Andrew Minnick, Saratoga Springs, NY (US);

Renner Stephen Ruffalo, Menands, NY (US);

Assignee:

General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B81B 3/00 (2006.01); H01L 29/84 (2006.01); B81C 1/00 (2006.01); G01L 9/00 (2006.01); B81B 7/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B81B 3/0027 (2013.01); B81B 3/0075 (2013.01); B81B 7/0003 (2013.01); B81B 7/008 (2013.01); B81C 1/0015 (2013.01); B81C 1/00134 (2013.01); B81C 1/00158 (2013.01); B81C 1/00182 (2013.01); B81C 1/00373 (2013.01); G01L 9/0042 (2013.01); G01L 9/0044 (2013.01); B81B 2201/01 (2013.01); B81B 2201/014 (2013.01); B81B 2201/0228 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0118 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0127 (2013.01); B81B 2203/0315 (2013.01); B81B 2203/053 (2013.01); B81B 2207/015 (2013.01); B81B 2207/115 (2013.01); B81C 2201/0107 (2013.01);
Abstract

A system and method for a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) device including a substrate and a free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure formed on the substrate. The free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure includes a metal mechanical element mechanically coupled to the substrate and a seed layer mechanically coupled to and in electrical communication with the mechanical element, the seed layer comprising at least one of a refractory metal and a refractory metal alloy, wherein a thickness of the mechanical element is substantially greater than a thickness of the seed layer such that the mechanical and electrical properties of the free-standing and suspended electroplated metal MEMS structure are defined by the material properties of the mechanical element.


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