Actuator and method of manufacture
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorGary J. O'Brien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator includes a support layer (110), a stationary structure (130) located over the support layer and including two portions (131, 132, 731, 732, 831, 832) adjacent to each other and separated from each other by a gap (133), and a movable structure (140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 650, 740, 840) coupled to and located over the support layer, located adjacent to the stationary structure, and movable relative to the stationary structure and the support layer. A portion (143, 243, 343, 443, 543, 643, 743, 843) of the movable structure is located in the gap between the two portions of the stationary structure, and the portion of the movable structure comprises a body (144) and an asymmetric structure (145, 245, 345, 445, 545, 645, 745, 845) extending from the body.
Claims16
An actuator comprising:
- a support layer;
- a stationary structure coupled to and located over the support layer and comprising two portions adjacent to each other and separated from each other by a gap;
- and
- a movable structure coupled to and located over the support layer, located adjacent to the stationary structure, and movable in a direction relative to the stationary structure and the support layer,
- wherein:
- a portion of the movable structure is located in the gap between the two portions of the stationary structure, and
- the portion of the movable structure comprises a body having a side substantially parallel to the direction of movement and an asymmetric structure extending from the side of the body and having an edge non-parallel to the direction of movement.
A semiconductor actuator comprising:
- a semiconductor layer;
- a first stationary structure coupled to and located over the semiconductor layer and comprising two first portions adjacent to each other and separated from each other by a first gap;
- a second stationary structure coupled to and located over the semiconductor layer and comprising two second portions adjacent to each other and separated from each other by a second gap;
- and
- a movable structure coupled to and located over the semiconductor layer, having a first side located adjacent to the first stationary structure, having a second side located adjacent to the second stationary structure, and movable relative to the first and second stationary structures and the semiconductor layer,
- wherein:
- a first portion of the movable structure is located in the first gap between the two first portions of the first stationary structure;
- the first portion of the movable structure comprises a first body and a first plurality of asymmetric structures extending from the first body;
- a first portion of the first plurality of asymmetric structures is located between the first body and a first one of the two first portions of the first stationary structure;
- a second portion of the first plurality of asymmetric structures is located between the first body and a second one of the two first portions of the first stationary structure;
- the first stationary structure actuates the movable structure along an axis;
- each of the first plurality of asymmetric structures have an edge non-parallel to the axis;
- a second portion of the movable structure is located in the second gap between the two second portions of the second stationary structure;
- the second portion of the movable structure comprises a second body and a second plurality of asymmetric structures extending from the second body;
- a first portion of the second plurality of asymmetric structures is located between the second body and a first one of the two second portions of the second stationary structure;
- a second portion of the second plurality of asymmetric structures is located between the second body and a second one of the two second portions of the second stationary structure;
- the second stationary structure actuates the movable structure along the axis;
- and
- each of the second plurality of asymmetric structures have an edge non-parallel to the axis.
A method of manufacturing an actuator comprising:
- providing a support layer;
- providing a first layer over the support layer;
- and
- forming a movable structure and a stationary structure in the first layer,
- wherein:
- the movable structure is movable relative to the stationary structure and the support layer;
- the stationary structure comprises two portions located adjacent to each other and separated by a gap there between;
- and
- a portion of the movable structure is located between the two portions of the stationary structure and comprises a body and an asymmetric structure extending from the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.