Fabrication method for microelectromechanical transducer
AssigneeMcnc
InventorStephen M. Bobbio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microelectromechanical transducer including a plurality of strips arranged in an array and maintained in a closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers. An electrically conductive layer on portions of the strips and spacers distributes electrical signal within the transducer to cause adjacent portions of the strips to move together. The strips and spacers may be formed from a common dielectric layer using microelectronic fabrication techniques. Two transducers may be coupled at an angle offset from parallel for two-dimensional micropositioning. A photodetector and Fresnel lens may be combined with the micropositioner using the transducers for optical scanning microscopy.
Claims9
A method for making an electromechanical transducer comprising the steps of:
- forming on a substrate a dielectric layer having a plurality of strips maintained in a closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers;
- applying a conductive layer to predetermined portions of the strips and spacers;
- and
- separating the dielectric layer from the substrate.
A method of making an electromechanical transducer comprising the steps of:
- forming on a substrate a multilevel support structure having predetermined raked portions;
- depositing a metal on the multilevel support structure at an angle from normal thereto so that the raked portions shade predetermined portions of the multilevel support structure;
- and
- separating the multilevel support structure from the substrate.
A method of making an electromechanical transducer comprising the steps of:
- forming on a substrate a dielectric layer;
- forming a multilevel mask on predetermined portions of the dielectric layer;
- etching predetermined portions of the mask and dielectric layer to form a multilevel support structure having a plurality of strips maintained in a closely spaced relation by a plurality of spacers;
- and
- separating the multilevel support structure from the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.