MEMS and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9287050-B2
Application number	US-201213413889-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2012
Priority date	Mar 11, 2011
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a MEMS includes a first electrode, a first auxiliary structure and a second electrode. The first electrode is provided on a substrate. The first auxiliary structure is provided on the substrate and adjacent to the first electrode. The first auxiliary structure is in an electrically floating state. The second electrode is provided above the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure, and is driven in a direction of the first electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) comprising:
a first electrode provided on a substrate;
a first auxiliary structure provided on the substrate and adjacent to the first electrode, and being in an electrically floating state; and
a second electrode provided above the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure, and being driven in a direction of the first electrode,
wherein a lower surface of the second electrode which is located above an outside of an outer end of the first auxiliary structure has a curved portion, and
the first auxiliary structure is arranged to surround the first electrode.

2. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary structure is arranged near an area in which the first electrode faces the second electrode.

3. The MEMS according to claim 1 , further comprising a third electrode provided on the substrate such that the first auxiliary structure is sandwiched between the third electrode and the first electrode.

4. The MEMS according to claim 3 , wherein the second electrode bulges at a portion between the first electrode and the third electrode toward a side opposite to the first and third electrodes.

5. The MEMS according to claim 3 , further comprising a third auxiliary structure provided on the substrate such that the third electrode is sandwiched between the third auxiliary structure and the first auxiliary structure.

6. The MEMS according to claim 1 , further comprising a second auxiliary structure provided on the substrate such that the first electrode is sandwiched between the second auxiliary structure and the first auxiliary structure.

7. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary structure includes a plurality of island patterns.

8. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is arranged above the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure across a cavity.

9. The MEMS according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulating film provided between the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure, and the second electrode.

10. The MEMS according to claim 9 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode and the insulating film form a variable capacitance element.

11. The MEMS according to claim 1 , further comprising a support beam provided above the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure, and holding the second electrode.

12. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary structure is made of a same material as the first electrode.

13. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary structure is made of a material different from the first electrode.

14. The MEMS according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrodes and the first auxiliary structure are made of one of aluminum and tungsten.

15. A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) comprising:
a first electrode provided on a substrate;
a first auxiliary structure provided on the substrate and adjacent to the first electrode, and being in an electrically floating state; and
a second electrode provided above the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure, and being driven in a direction of the first electrode,
wherein the first auxiliary structure is provided to prevent the second electrode from deforming, and
the first auxiliary structure is arranged to surround three sides of the first electrode.

16. The MEMS according to claim 15 , wherein the first auxiliary structure is provided to form an lower surface of the second electrode flat between the first electrode and the first auxiliary structure.

17. The MEMS according to claim 15 , further comprising a sole connection beam connected to one end of the third electrode for an electrical connection.

18. The MEMS according to claim 1 , farther comprising a third electrode provided on the substrate such that the first auxiliary structure is sandwiched between the third electrode and the first electrode, and a second auxiliary structure provided on the substrate such that the third electrode is sandwiched between the second auxiliary structure and the first auxiliary structure.

Assignees

• Saito Tomohiro
• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Saito Tomohiro

Classifications

• H01G5/18 Primary

  due to change in inclination, e.g. by flexing, by spiral wrapping · CPC title

• B81C2201/0126

  Processes for the planarization of structures not provided for in B81C2201/0119 - B81C2201/0125 · CPC title

• B81B2201/0221

  Variable capacitors · CPC title

• B81C1/00611

  Processes for the planarisation of structures (planarising depositions C23C, H10) · CPC title

• B81B2203/0109

  Bridges · CPC title