Micro Devices Formed by Flex Circuit Substrates
AssigneeEncite LLC
InventorStephen A. Marsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a flexible electronic circuit substrate that includes a device that is fabricated from layers of the flexible electronic circuit substrate as part of construction of the flexible electronic circuit substrate. Such devices could be functional units such as micro electro mechanical devices (MEMS) devices such as micro-accelerometer sensor elements, micro flow sensors, micro pressure sensors, etc.
Claims23
A circuit substrate comprises:
- a plurality of layers of one or more materials, with the plurality of layers adhered together, and with at least a first set of the plurality of layers having patterned electrical conductors thereon;
- and
- a micro electro mechanical device formed by a second set of the plurality of layers.
A method comprising:
- forming of a flexible circuit substrate from a plurality of layers of one or more materials;
- and while forming the flexible circuit substrate,
- forming an operative, micro electro mechanical device within the flexible circuit substrate from a set of the layers of the plurality of layers of the one or more materials.
A micro-accelerometer sensor element device formed within a flexible circuit substrate comprised of a plurality of layers of a flexible material, formed by a process comprising:
- patterning a metal layer that is on a first one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a first electrode;
- patterning at least one metal layer that is on a second one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a cantilever beam electrode;
- forming from the second one of the plurality of layers of flexible material, a compartment and a cantilever beam that supports the cantilever beam electrode, with the cantilever beam electrode having a portion thereof in a vertical alignment with a portion of the first electrode;
- and
- patterning a metal layer that is on a third one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a second electrode, with the second electrode in vertical alignment with the first electrode and the cantilever beam electrode.
A method of providing an operative device embedded within a flexible circuit substrate comprised of a plurality of layers of a flexible material, the method comprising,
- patterning a metal layer that is on a first one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a first electrode;
- patterning at least one metal layer that is on a second one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a cantilever beam electrode;
- forming from the second one of the plurality of layers of flexible material, a compartment and a cantilever beam that supports the cantilever beam electrode, with the cantilever beam electrode having a portion thereof in a vertical alignment with a portion of the first electrode;
- and
- patterning a metal layer that is on a third one of the plurality of layers of flexible material to provide a second electrode, with the second electrode in vertical alignment with the first electrode and the cantilever beam electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.