MEMS device with controlled electrode off-state position
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorPeter G. Steeneken
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to MEMS device that comprises a first electrode, and a second electrode suspended with a distance to the first electrode with the aid of a suspension structure. The MEMS device further comprises at least one deformation electrode. The second electrode or the suspension structure or both are plastically deformable upon application of an electrostatic deformation force via the deformation electrode. This way, variations in the off-state position of the second electrode that occur during fabrication of different devices or during operation of a single device can be eliminated.
Claims18
A Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) device comprising:
- a first electrode on a substrate;
- a second electrode, which in an off-state position, in which no switching force is applied to the second electrode, is suspended with a distance to the first electrode with the aid of a suspension structure, and which is elastically switchable to an on-state position upon application of a switching force via the first electrode;
- and
- at least one deformation electrode, wherein at least one of the second electrode and the suspension structure is plastically deformable upon application of an electrostatic deformation force via the at least one deformation electrode to at least one of the second electrode and the suspension structure.
A tuning device for tuning an off-state position of a suspended electrode of a Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) device, the tuning device comprising:
- a deformation-control unit, connected to first and second electrodes of the MEMS device, which is configured to ascertain a value of a first quantity that is dependent on an off-state capacitance of an arrangement formed by first and second electrodes of the MEMS device in the off-state position and to generate a predetermined deformation voltage;
- and
- an output unit, which is configured to provide the generated deformation voltage to an external deformation-control contact element of the MEMS device, wherein the predetermined deformation voltage is sufficient to cause plastic deformation of at least one of the second electrode and the external deformation-control contact element.
A Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) device comprising:
- a first electrode on a substrate;
- a second electrode, which in an off-state position, in which no switching force is applied to the second electrode, is suspended with a distance to the first electrode with the aid of a suspension structure, and which is elastically switchable to an on-state position upon application of a switching force via the first electrode, wherein the second electrode has a yield stress that can be lowered by exposure to thermal energy;
- and
- at least one deformation electrode, wherein at least one of the second electrode and the suspension structure is plastically deformable upon application of an electrostatic deformation force via the at least one deformation electrode to at least one of the second electrode and the suspension structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.