Electrostatic actuator, device comprising such actuators, microsystem comprising such a device and method for making such an actuator
AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique
InventorsCedrick Chappaz, Claire Divoux
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrostatic actuator including: at least one fixed electrode, fixed with respect to a substrate; at least one flexible electrode arranged to face the substrate; a pivot member extending from the flexible electrode, the pivot member being fixed to a face of the flexible electrode facing the fixed electrode, and the pivot member being made from a conducting material; and at least one suspending unit suspending the flexible electrode and holding the flexible electrode at rest at a distance from the substrate, wherein the suspending unit and the pivot member are different.
Claims27
An electrostatic actuator comprising:
- at least one fixed electrode, fixed with respect to a substrate;
- at least one flexible electrode arranged to face the substrate;
- a pivot member fixed to a face of the flexible electrode facing the fixed electrode, and said pivot member being made from a conducting material;
- and
- at least one means for suspending the flexible electrode and holding said flexible electrode at rest at a distance from the substrate,
- wherein the means for suspending and the pivot member are different.
A microsystem comprising:
- an actuator;
- and
- an object to be moved by the actuator, wherein the actuator includes,
- at least one fixed electrode, fixed with respect to a substrate,
- at least one flexible electrode arranged to face the substrate,
- a pivot member fixed to a face of the flexible electrode facing the fixed electrode, and said pivot member being made from a conducting material, and
- at least one means for suspending the flexible electrode and holding said flexible electrode at rest at a distance from the substrate,
- wherein the means for suspending and the pivot member are different.
A method for making an electrostatic actuator on a substrate, comprising:
- making at least one fixed electrode on a front face of the substrate,
- depositing a sacrificial layer on the substrate,
- structuring said sacrificial layer to form at least one flexible electrode, at least one suspension member and at least one pivot member, the suspension member being different from the pivot member,
- depositing a conducting layer forming the flexible electrode and the pivot member, and
- eliminating the sacrificial layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.