Shell type actuator
AssigneesCornell Research Foundation, Inc., Navel Research Laboratory
InventorsMaxim Zalalutdinov, Robert B. Reichenbach, Keith Aubin, Brian H. Houston, Jeevak M. Parpia, Harold G. Craighead
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micromechanical resonator is formed on a substrate. The resonator has a partial spherical shell clamped on an outside portion of the shell to the substrate. In other embodiments, a flat disc or other shape may be used. Movement is induced in a selected portion of the disc, inducing easily detectible out-of-plane motion. A laser is used in one embodiment to heat the selected portion of the disc and induce the motion. The motion may be detected by capacitive or interferometric techniques.
Claims31
A micromechanical resonator comprising:
- a substrate;
- a partial curved shell clamped on an outside portion of the shell to the substrate, wherein the shell is formed entirely of a non-electro active material compatible with CMOS processes to resonate at RF frequencies or higher responsive to localized time variable heating of only a portion of the shell.
A micromechanical resonator comprising:
- a substrate;
- a partial curved shell consisting of a non-electro-active CMOS process compatible material clamped on an outside portion of the shell to the substrate;
- and
- means for inducing movement of the shell.
A micromechanical resonator comprising:
- a substrate;
- a CMOS process compatible curved disc clamped on an outside portion of the disc to the substrate;
- means for inducing movement of the disc;
- and
- means for detecting movement of the disc.
A micromechanical resonator comprising:
- a substrate;
- a partial curved shell clamped on an outside portion of the shell to the substrate, wherein the shell is formed of a CMOS compatible material and has an opening on the center, the shell to resonate at RF frequencies or higher;
- and
- a heater positioned proximate the shell to create a time varying temperature gradient across the shell to cause the shell to resonate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.