Controlling movable layer shape for electromechanical systems devices

A method of manufacturing an array of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing a first EMS device, including:
• forming a first step creating layer over the substrate in a first anchoring region having a first geometric center point,
• depositing a first sacrificial layer over the first step creating layer, thereby propagating a step from the first step creating layer to the first sacrificial layer, and
• depositing a first movable layer over the first sacrificial layer, thereby propagating the step to the first movable layer to form a first step in the first movable layer, the first step being laterally spaced from the first geometric center point by a first distance and having a first height;
• providing a second EMS device, including:
• forming a second step creating layer over the substrate in a second anchoring region having a second geometric center point,
• depositing a second sacrificial layer over the second step creating layer, thereby propagating an other step from the second step creating layer to the second sacrificial layer, and
• depositing a second movable layer over the second sacrificial layer, thereby propagating the other step to the second movable layer to form a second step in the second movable layer, the second step being laterally spaced from the second geometric center point by a second distance and having a second height;
• wherein the first height is different from the second height or the first distance is different from the second distance, or both.

An array of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first EMS device on the substrate including:
• a stationary electrode;
• a first movable electrode;
• and
• a first launch defining means for defining a degree of deviance of the first movable electrode from an unreleased state to a released and unbiased state, the first launch defining means spaced by a gap from the first movable electrode;
• a second EMS device on the substrate including:
• a stationary electrode;
• a second movable electrode;
• and
• a second launch defining means for defining a degree of deviance of the second movable electrode from an unreleased state to a released and unbiased state, the second launch defining means spaced by a gap from the second movable electrode,
• wherein the first launch defining means and the second launch defining means differ in one or more characteristics.

An array of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first EMS device and a second EMS device on the substrate,
• the first EMS device including:
• a first movable layer;
• a first support for supporting the first movable layer and spacing the first movable layer from the substrate by a first gap,
• the second EMS device including:
• a second movable layer;
• a second support for supporting the second movable layer and spacing the second movable layer from the substrate by a second gap,
• wherein the first support and the second support have a same width and a same height relative to the substrate, and
• the first EMS device and the second EMS device have different gap heights in unbiased states.

A method of manufacturing an array of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing a sacrificial layer having a substantially uniform thickness over the substrate;
• providing openings in the sacrificial layer for receiving a first support for supporting a first movable layer and a second support for supporting a second movable layer, the first and second supports having the same height and width relative to the substrate;
• providing the first support and the second support in the openings;
• providing the first movable layer and the second movable layer over the sacrificial layer in contact with the first support and the second support, respectively;
• and
• removing the sacrificial layer to release the first and second movable layers and define a first EMS device having a first gap height and a second EMS device having a second gap height, the first gap height different from the second gap height in unbiased states.