Method of manufacturing mems devices providing air gap control
AssigneeQUALCOMM MEMS Technology, Inc.
InventorsMing-Hau Tung, Lior Kogut
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a depth of a cavity between two layers of a light modulating device. A method of making a light modulating device includes providing a substrate, forming a sacrificial layer over at least a portion of the substrate, forming a reflective layer over at least a portion of the sacrificial layer, and forming one or more flexure controllers over the substrate, the flexure controllers configured so as to operably support the reflective layer and to form cavities, upon removal of the sacrificial layer, of a depth measurably different than the thickness of the sacrificial layer, wherein the depth is measured perpendicular to the substrate.
Claims15
An electromechanical device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of moveable elements over the substrate, each moveable element separated from the substrate by a cavity;
- and
- a plurality of flexure controllers over the substrate configured so as to operably support the moveable elements, wherein at least a portion of at least one flexure controller of the plurality of flexure controllers is overlying and operably supporting at least one moveable element of the plurality of moveable elements,
- wherein the plurality of flexure controllers control selected flexures of the plurality of moveable elements to form a plurality of cavities having different depths between the substrate and the plurality of movable elements.
An electromechanical device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a moveable element over the substrate;
- and
- one or more flexure controllers over the substrate configured so as to operably support the moveable element and to form a cavity between the substrate and the movable element,
- wherein the one or more flexure controllers are operative to increase the depth of the cavity by about 30 percent greater or more as compared to the depth of a cavity formed when the moveable element extends approximately parallel to the substrate, wherein depth is measured perpendicular to the substrate, and
- wherein at least a portion of at least one of the flexure controllers is overlying and operably supporting at least a portion of the moveable element.
An interferometric modulator, comprising:
- first means for reflecting light;
- second means for reflecting light;
- and
- means for supporting the second reflecting means and for forming a cavity between the first reflecting means and the second reflecting means,
- wherein the depth of the cavity may be increased by the supporting means to a depth about 30 percent greater or more than the depth of a cavity formed when the second means for reflecting light extends approximately parallel to the first means for reflecting light, wherein depth is measured perpendicular to the first reflecting means, and
- wherein at least a portion of the supporting means is overlying and operably supporting at least a portion of the second reflecting means.
An electromechanical device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a moveable element over the substrate;
- and
- one or more flexure controllers over the substrate configured so as to operably support the moveable element and to displace the movable element towards the substrate,
- wherein at least a portion of at least one of the flexure controllers is overlying and operably supporting at least a portion of the moveable element.
An interferometric modulator, comprising:
- first means for reflecting light;
- second means for reflecting light;
- and
- means for supporting the second reflecting means and for effecting a displacement of the second reflecting means towards the first reflecting means upon removal of the first supporting means, wherein at least a portion of the second supporting means is overlying and operably supporting at least a portion of the second reflecting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.