Back to results
US 7,253,616 B2Granted
Microelectromechanical magnetometer
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsChristian A. Bolle, Maria E. Simon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a substrate and a MEM device. The MEM includes a comb capacitor and a magnetic element physically connected to one electrode of the comb capacitor. The magnetic element is capable of moving the one electrode in a manner that alters a capacitance of the comb capacitor. The apparatus also includes at least one spring physically connecting the magnetic element to the substrate.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a MEM device including a comb capacitor and a magnetic element physically connected to one electrode of said comb capacitor, said magnetic element capable of moving said one electrode in a manner that alters a capacitance of said comb capacitor;
- and
- at least one spring physically connecting said magnetic element to said substrate, wherein said comb capacitor comprises a fixed electrode having fixed fingers projecting from a fixed surface opposing a surface of the one electrode, said one electrode having fingers that interdigitate with said fixed fingers.
1 more element
A method of use, comprising:
- placing an apparatus in a magnetic field, where said apparatus comprises a MEM device having a comb capacitor, a magnetic element physically connected to one electrode of said comb capacitor and at least one spring physically connecting said magnetic element to a substrate of said apparatus, wherein said comb capacitor comprises a fixed electrode having fixed fingers projecting from a fixed surface opposing a surface of the one electrode, said one electrode having fingers that interdigitate with said fixed fingers;
- and
- changing said magnetic field thereby causing said magnetic element to move said one electrode in a manner that alters a capacitance of said comb capacitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.