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US 5,665,997 AGranted
Grated landing area to eliminate sticking of micro-mechanical devices
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsDouglas J. Weaver, John N. Randall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digital micro-mirror device (10), whose contacting elements (11, 17) are not prone to stick together. In the case of a deflecting mirror device, landing electrodes (17) are covered with a grating (19), which reduces the contacting area but still permits conduction between the mirror (11) and the landing electrode (17). Alternatively, the landing electrode (17) can be fabricated as a grated surface.
Claims10
A micro-mechanical device, comprising:
- one or more deflecting beam elements, each beam element having a deflectable beam, an address electrode, and a landing electrode;
- wherein the spacing of each said beam from an associated landing electrode permits said beam to contact said landing electrode in response to a voltage applied to said address electrode;
- and
- wherein each said landing electrode is covered with a grating at least where said beam contacts said landing electrode.
1 more element
A micro-mechanical device, comprising:
- one or more deflecting beam elements, each beam element having a deflectable beam, an address electrode, and a landing electrode;
- wherein the spacing of each said beam from an associated landing electrode permits said beam to contact said landing electrode in response to a voltage applied to said address electrode;
- and
- wherein each said landing electrode has a grated surface at least where said beam contacts said landing electrode.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.