MEMS devices and methods of manufacture

A MEMS device disposed on a substrate having at least a top layer, the MEMS device comprising:

• an actuable element comprising a base and a generally elongated arm extending from the base, the base including a magnetic material, at least a portion of the actuable element being formed from the top layer of the substrate, and
• an electromagnetic MEMS actuator comprising an electrically conductive coil arranged to generate a magnetic field within a gap formed by spaced apart ends of the coil upon application of a current to the coil, the base of the actuable element being positioned proximate the gap such that the actuable element can be displaced relative to the gap upon application of the magnetic field on the magnetic material.

A MEMS device disposed on a substrate, the MEMS device comprising:

• an actuable element comprising a base and a generally elongated arm extending from the base, the base including a magnetic material,
• an electromagnetic MEMS actuator comprising an electrically conductive coil arranged to generate a magnetic field within a gap formed by spaced apart ends of the coil upon application of a current to the coil, the base of the actuable element being positioned proximate the gap such that the actuable element can be displaced relative to the gap upon application of the magnetic field on the magnetic material, and
• a cantilever attached to the substrate at one end and the arm of the actuable element at another end.

A method of fabricating a MEMS device on a substrate, the method comprising:

• constructing an electromagnetic MEMS actuator on the surface of the substrate by building an electrically conductive coil on the surface of the substrate, the coil being arranged to form a gap between two ends of the coil, and
• forming an actuable element from a layer of the substrate at position on the substrate to facilitate displacement of at least a portion of the actuable element relative to the gap upon activation of the electromagnetic MEMS actuator.

A method of fabricating a plurality of MEMS devices on a substrate, each MEMS device including an electromagnetic actuator and a corresponding actuable element, the method comprising:

• constructing a plurality of electromagnetic MEMS actuators on the surface of the substrate by building a plurality of electrically conductive coils on the surface of the substrate, each coil being arranged to form a gap between two ends of the coil, and
• forming a plurality of actuable elements from a layer of the substrate at positions on the substrate to facilitate displacement of at least a portion of each actuable element relative to the corresponding gap upon activation of the corresponding electromagnetic actuator.