Claims
- 1. A micro-electromechanical assembly comprising:
an out-of-plane device formed in a single-crystal-silicon device layer of a silicon-on-insulator substrate and; a flexible ribbon structure formed in the device layer, where the out-of-plane device and ribbon structure are formed as an integrated assembly.
- 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the device layer is formed as part of a silicon-on-insulator wafer, including at least the device layer and a buried oxide layer.
- 3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the ribbon structure has at least one of a width or thickness which is less than at least one of a width or thickness of the out-of-plane device.
- 4. The invention according to claim 2 wherein the out-of-plane device is fabricated from a silicon-on-insulator wafer which has an initial uniform device layer thickness.
- 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the ribbon structure has a thickness of between approximately 400 nm to 600 nm, a width of between 25 μm-75 μm, and a length of between 70 μm and 210 μm.
- 6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the ribbon is configured with a mechanical integrity which permits application of a side-twisting mechanical torque to the out-of-plane device sufficient to twist the out-of-plane device to 90° or more from an initial 0° twisted position.
- 7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the ribbon is configured with a mechanical integrity which permits application of a lifting out-of-plane mechanical torque to lift the out-of-plane device from 0° which is in the horizontal plane, to 90° or more out of the horizontal plane.
- 8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the out-of-plane device is a micro-mirror.
- 9. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the ribbon is a micro-hinge.
- 10. The invention according to claim 2 wherein a second end of the ribbon structure is attached to an anchor point above the buried oxide layer, and a second end of the out-of-plane device is unattached to the buried oxide layer.
Government Interests
[0001] The U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided for by the terms of contract no. 70NANB8H4014 awarded by NIST.