Micro-electro-mechanical micro-manipulation device with piezoelectric driving, movable in plane
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsDomenico GIUSTI, Lorenzo TENTORI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A MEMS manipulation device has first and second manipulation arms carrying respective mutually facing gripping elements. At least the first manipulation arm is formed by a driving arm and by an articulated arm hinged together through an articulation structure. The first driving arm includes a first beam element and a first piezoelectric region on the first beam element. The first articulation structure includes a first connecting element not deformable in the thickness direction, as well as a first hinge structure interposed between the first driving arm, the first articulated arm, and the first connecting element.
Claims22
A MEMS manipulation device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a manipulation structure on the substrate and including a body formed from a structural layer, a supporting layer on the structural layer, and a thin film piezoelectric layer on the supporting layer, the manipulation structure including;
- a first manipulation arm;
- and
- a first gripping element carried by the first manipulation arm;
- wherein the first manipulation arm comprises a first driving arm and a first articulated arm each having respective first and second ends, the first end of the first driving arm being connected to the substrate and the second end of the first driving arm being articulated to the first end of the first articulated arm through a first articulation structure;
- wherein the first driving arm comprises a first beam element formed by the supporting layer and a first piezoelectric region formed by the thin film piezoelectric layer and associated with the first beam element, the first beam element having a main extension extending in an extension plane and a thickness extending in a thickness plane perpendicular to the extension plane, the thickness of the first beam element in the thickness plane being smaller than the extension of main extension in the extension plane, the first and second ends of the first driving arm comprising portions of the supporting layer and portions of the structural layer;
- and
- wherein the first articulation structure comprises a first connecting element and a first hinge structure interposed between the first driving arm, the first articulated arm, and the first connecting element.
A device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first manipulation arm;
- and
- a first gripping element carried by the first manipulation arm;
- wherein the first manipulation arm comprises a first driving arm and a first articulated arm having respective first and second ends, the first end of the first driving arm being connected to the substrate and the second end of the first driving arm being articulated to the first end of the first articulated arm through a first articulation structure;
- and
- wherein the first driving arm comprises a first beam element and a first piezoelectric region operating on the first beam element, the first beam element having a main extension in a plane of extension, the first beam element having a thickness perpendicular to the plane of extension, the thickness being smaller than the main extension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.