Microelectromechanical system device having a hinge layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500857-B2
Application number	US-201414449940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a substrate and at least one MEMS unit disposed on the substrate. The MEMS unit includes at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, at least one landing element, and a hinge layer. The first electrode is disposed on the substrate. The second electrode is disposed on the substrate. The landing element is disposed on the substrate. The hinge layer includes a hinge portion and at least one cantilever portion. The hinge portion is connected to the second electrode. The cantilever portion is connected to the hinge portion. The cantilever portion has a first opening and at least one spring disposed in the first opening and connected to at least one side of the first opening. When a voltage difference exists between the first electrode and the second electrode, the hinge portion is distorted and the spring thus touches the landing element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device comprising:
a substrate; and
at least one MEMS unit disposed on the substrate, the MEMS unit comprising:
at least one first electrode disposed on the substrate;
at least one second electrode disposed on the substrate;
at least one landing element disposed on the substrate; and
a hinge layer comprising:
a hinge portion connected to the second electrode; and
at least one cantilever portion connected to the hinge portion, the cantilever portion having a first opening and at least one spring disposed in the first opening and connected to at least one side of the first opening, wherein when a voltage difference exists between the first electrode and the second electrode, the hinge portion is distorted and the spring thus touches the landing element
wherein the MEMS unit and the hinge layer are respectively located in different layers arranged along a direction away from the substrate.

2. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is a flexible strip connected to two opposite sides of the first opening.

3. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is a protrusion extending from one side of the first opening.

4. The MEMS device according to claim 3 , wherein the protrusion has a free end away from the side of the first opening, and when the hinge portion is distorted, the free end touches the landing element.

5. The MEMS device according to claim 4 , wherein the free end is a flat end, a sharp end, or a round end.

6. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a plurality of protrusions respectively extending from a plurality of sides of the first opening.

7. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the MEMS unit further comprises an optical component disposed on the hinge layer and having at least one operation space for allowing distortion of the spring of the at least one cantilever portion, and the operation space communicates with the first opening.

8. The MEMS device according to claim 7 , wherein the optical component comprises:
a first spacer layer disposed on the hinge layer and having at least one second opening to form the at least one operation space;
a second spacer layer disposed on the first spacer layer; and
a mirror layer disposed on the second spacer layer.

9. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is disposed under the cantilever portion, and a same voltage is applied to the second electrode and the landing element when the MEMS unit is in operation.

10. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein both the hinge layer and the landing element are made of conductive material, and the hinge layer is electrically connected to the second electrode.

11. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one MEMS unit is a plurality of MEMS units arranged in an array on the substrate.

12. The MEMS device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cantilever portion is two cantilever portions respectively connected to two opposite sides of the hinge portion, and the MEMS unit further comprises at least one third electrode disposed on the substrate, the first electrode and the third electrode are respectively disposed under the two cantilever portions, one of the cantilever portions moves towards the corresponding first electrode when the voltage difference exists between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the other one of the cantilever portions moves towards the corresponding second electrode when a voltage difference exists between the third electrode and the second electrode.

Assignees

• Himax Display Inc

Inventors

• Chen Hui-Lun
• Chen Wei-Hsiao
• Wang Chien-Tang
• Liu Nan
• Gelder Roland V
• Su Chun-Hao

Classifications

• B81B3/0021

  Transducers for transforming electrical into mechanical energy or vice versa (dynamo-electric machines H02K99/00; electrostatic machines H02N1/00; piezoelectric devices H10N30/00) · CPC title

• B81B3/0072

  For controlling internal stress or strain in moving or flexible elements, e.g. stress compensating layers · CPC title

• B81B3/0013

  Structures dimensioned for mechanical prevention of stiction, e.g. spring with increased stiffness · CPC title

• B81B2201/042

  Micromirrors, not used as optical switches · CPC title

• B81B2201/045

  Optical switches · CPC title