Micro-fabricated device with integrated electrostatic actuator

An integrated micro-fabricated device, comprising:

• a plurality of integrated electrostatic actuators formed on one substrate;
• wherein said two actuators are cascade-connected so that the fixed electrode of one actuator is linked to the movable electrode of the other actuator;
• wherein one of said two actuators can drive said movable electrode in the directions of perpendicular two axes;
• and
• wherein the probe of a probe microscope is formed at the free end of said movable electrode of said actuator provided with a free movable electrode.

An integrated micro-fabricated device provided with a plurality of electrostatic actuators formed on one substrate by semiconductor micro-fabrication technology;

• wherein each of said actuators consists of two actuators;
• wherein said two actuators are cascade-connected so that the fixed electrode of one actuator is formed on the movable electrode of the other actuator;
• wherein one of said two actuators can drive the movable electrode in the directions of perpendicular two axes;
• wherein the probe of a probe microscope is formed at the free end of the movable electrode of one of said cascade-connected two actuators;
• and
• wherein said probe is protruded in the direction perpendicular to the surface of said substrate.

An integrated micro-fabricated device provided with a plurality of electrostatic actuators formed on one substrate by semiconductor micro-fabrication technology;

• wherein each of said actuators consists of two actuators;
• wherein said two actuators are cascade-connected so that the fixed electrode of one actuator is formed on the movable electrode of the other actuator;
• wherein one of said two actuators can drive the movable electrode in the directions of perpendicular two axes;
• wherein the probe of a probe microscope is formed at the free end of the movable electrode of one of said cascaded-connected two actuators;
• and
• wherein an information recorder opposite to said probe which holds the proper positional relationship between it and the base of said actuator is provided.

An integrated micro-fabricated device provided with a plurality of electrostatic actuators formed on one substrate by semiconductor micro-fabrication technology;

• wherein each of said actuator consists of two actuators;
• wherein said two actuators are cascade-connected so that the fixed electrode of one actuator is formed on the movable electrode of the other actuator;
• wherein one of said two actuators can drive the movable electrode in the directions of perpendicular two axes;
• wherein the probe of a probe microscope is formed at the free end of the movable electrode of one of said cascade-connected two actuators;
• and
• wherein an electrode for generating an electric field operating on an electron emitted from said probe is arranged in a position opposite to said probe and with the proper positional relationship with the base of said actuator.

An electromechanical transducer comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer further comprises a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer further comprises:
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem;
• and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• and
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate.

An electromechanical transducer assembly comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a plurality of electromechanical transducers formed in parallel on the substrate;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers includes
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate, and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem, and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• and
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate.

A electromechanical transducer assembly comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a plurality of electromechanical transducers formed on the substrate;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers includes
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate, and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an the area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the third comb electrodes, and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate;
• and
• wherein the electromechanical transducer assembly further comprises a coarse adjustment on which the electromechanical transducers are placed so that positions of the probes of the electromechanical transducers can be coarsely controlled along one of the axes.

An electromechanical transducer assembly apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a plurality of electromechanical transducer assemblies formed in parallel on the substrate;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducer assemblies includes a plurality of electromechanical transducers formed in parallel on the substrate;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers includes
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate, and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducers further includes
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem and the other free edge of which vertically extends outside an area of the surface of the third comb electrodes, and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate;
• wherein each of the electromechanical transducer assemblies further includes an integration control units provided on the substrate;
• and
• wherein the electromechanical transducer assembly apparatus further comprises an I/O control unit provided on the substrate for controlling the integration control units of the electromechanical transducer assemblies.

An electromechanical transducer comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer assembly further comprises a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer further comprises:
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem and the other free edge of which vertically extends outside an area of the surface of the third comb electrodes;
• and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• and
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate.

An electromechanical transducer comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate;
• and
• a second electrostatic actuator formed on the substrate:
• wherein the first electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of first comb electrodes which are fabricated and fixed on the substrate,
• a pair of movable second comb electrodes combined to a first stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the first comb electrodes,
• a first spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and one edge of the first stem, and
• a second spring part connected between the base part of the first comb electrodes and the other edge of the first stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer further comprises a connecting stem, one edge of which is combined to the first stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an the area of the first comb electrodes;
• wherein the second electrostatic actuator includes
• a pair of a plurality of third comb electrodes which are supported by the free edge of the connecting stem at the one edge thereof,
• a pair of fourth comb electrodes combined to a second stem at the edge thereof, each free part of which is inserted between each comb electrode of the third comb electrodes,
• a third spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and one edge of the second stem, and
• a fourth spring part connected between the base part of the third comb electrodes and the other edge of the second stem;
• wherein the electromechanical transducer further comprises:
• a probe part, one edge of which is connected to the second stem and the other free edge of which extends outside an area of the third comb electrodes;
• and
• electric leads for providing a suitable electric potential to the electrodes;
• wherein the first stem and the second stem are drivable in directions of two different axes relative to each other on the substrate;
• wherein a portion of the base part of the third comb electrodes opposing the probe part has an opening through which the probe part does not extend;
• and
• wherein electrodes are provided on the base part of the third comb electrodes around the opening for extracting and focusing electrons from the probe part so that the electromechanical transducer can be used as an electron source.