US 10,847,326 B2Granted

Microelectromechanical device, which can be used as non-volatile memory module or relay, and memory including a plurality of microelectromechanical devices

AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.

InventorsGiovanni Campardo, Carlo Valzasina

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Abstract

A microelectromechanical device, in particular a non-volatile memory module or a relay, comprising: a mobile body including a top region and a bottom region; top electrodes facing the top region; and bottom electrodes, facing the bottom region. The mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the electrodes. The latter can be biased for generating a movement of the mobile body for causing a direct contact of the top region with the top electrodes and, in a different operating condition, a direct contact of the bottom region with the bottom electrodes. In the absence of biasing, molecular-attraction forces maintain in stable mutual contact the top region and the top electrodes or, alternatively, the bottom region and the bottom electrodes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A microelectromechanical device, comprising:

a mobile body configured to move in a direction, and including a first coupling region and a second coupling region;
a first arm and a second arm suspending the mobile body over a cavity;
a first electrode and a second electrode, directly facing the first coupling region and electrically insulated from one another;
and
a third electrode and a fourth electrode, directly facing the second coupling region and electrically insulated from one another, wherein:
said mobile body is, in a resting condition, at a distance from the first and second electrodes and from the third and fourth electrodes,
the mobile body, the first and second electrodes, and the third and fourth electrodes are configured to be electrically biased into generating a movement of the mobile body in said direction for causing, in a first operating condition, a direct contact of the first coupling region with the first and second electrodes and, in a second operating condition, a direct contact of the second coupling region with the third and fourth electrodes,
the first coupling region and the first and second electrodes are configured, in the first operating condition and in the absence of electrical biasing, to remain in stable mutual contact as a result of molecular-attraction forces, and
the second coupling region and the third and fourth bottom electrodes are configured, in the second operating condition and in the absence of electrical biasing, to remain in stable mutual contact as a result of molecular-attraction forces, and
the first arm and the second arm are configured to exert, on the mobile body in the first and second operating conditions, an elastic force that tends to bring the mobile body back into the resting condition.

7 more elements

A method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical device, comprising:

forming a mobile body configured to move in a direction, the mobile body including a first coupling region and a second coupling region;
forming a first arm and a second arm suspending from the mobile body over a cavity;
forming a first electrode and a second electrode directly facing the first coupling region and electrically insulated from one another;
forming a third electrode and a fourth electrode directly facing the second coupling region and electrically insulated from one another;
arranging said mobile body in a resting condition, at a distance from the first and second electrodes and from the third and fourth electrodes, wherein
the mobile body, the first and second electrodes, and the third and fourth electrodes are configured to be electrically biased into generating a movement of the mobile body in said direction for causing, in a first operating condition, a direct contact of the first coupling region with the first and second electrodes and, in a second operating condition, a direct contact of the second coupling region with the third and fourth electrodes,
the first coupling region and the first and second electrodes are configured, in the first operating condition and in the absence of electrical biasing, to remain in stable mutual contact as a result of molecular-attraction forces,
the second coupling region and the third and fourth bottom electrodes are configured, in the second operating condition and in the absence of electrical biasing, to remain in stable mutual contact as a result of molecular-attraction forces, and
the first arm and the second arm are configured to exert, on the mobile body in the first and second operating conditions, an elastic force that tends to bring the mobile body back into the resting condition.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/453,737Filed 26 Jun 2019 · division
Priority: IT 10201600007845426 Jul 2016
Published: US 2019/0318885 A117 Oct 2019
Granted: 24 Nov 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H01H 1/0036
Contacts: switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]
B81B 7/0003
Microstructural systems ; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems: mEMS mechanisms for assembling automatically hinged components,…
B81B 7/007
Packages or encapsulation: interconnections between the MEMS and external electrical signals
B81B 7/04
Microstructural systems ; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems: networks or arrays of similar microstructural devices

Family

Application15/470,431Parent of this division · filed 27 Mar 2017
US 2019/0318885 A1Pre-grant publication · published 17 Oct 2019
US 10,381,173 B2Parent of this division
US 2018/0033564 A1Published application
US 10,847,326 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.