Bistable microelectromechanical actuator
Abstract
A bistable microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator is formed on a substrate and includes a stressed membrane of generally rectangular shape that upon release assumes a curvilinear cross-sectional shape due to attachment at a midpoint to a resilient member and at opposing edges to a pair of elongate supports. The stressed membrane can be electrostatically switched between a pair of mechanical states having mirror-image symmetry, with the MEM actuator remaining in a quiescent state after a programming voltage is removed. The bistable MEM actuator according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to form a nonvolatile memory element, an optical modulator (with a pair of mirrors supported above the membrane and moving in synchronism as the membrane is switched), a switchable mirror (with a single mirror supported above the membrane at the midpoint thereof) and a latching relay (with a pair of contacts that open and close as the membrane is switched). Arrays of bistable MEM actuators can be formed for applications including nonvolatile memories, optical displays and optical computing.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872134
- Patent Number(s):
- 5867302
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B81 - MICROSTRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGY B81B - MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- bistable; microelectromechanical; actuator; formed; substrate; stressed; membrane; rectangular; shape; release; assumes; curvilinear; cross-sectional; due; attachment; midpoint; resilient; opposing; edges; pair; elongate; supports; electrostatically; switched; mechanical; mirror-image; symmetry; remaining; quiescent; programming; voltage; removed; according; various; embodiments; form; nonvolatile; memory; element; optical; modulator; mirrors; supported; moving; synchronism; switchable; mirror; single; latching; relay; contacts; close; arrays; actuators; applications; including; memories; displays; computing; opposing edges; optical display; mirror support; memory element; applications including; various embodiments; cross-sectional shape; rectangular shape; latching relay; optical modulator; bistable microelectromechanical; /359/310/348/
Citation Formats
Fleming, James G. Bistable microelectromechanical actuator. United States: N. p., 1999.
Web.
Fleming, James G. Bistable microelectromechanical actuator. United States.
Fleming, James G. Fri .
"Bistable microelectromechanical actuator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872134.
@article{osti_872134,
title = {Bistable microelectromechanical actuator},
author = {Fleming, James G},
abstractNote = {A bistable microelectromechanical (MEM) actuator is formed on a substrate and includes a stressed membrane of generally rectangular shape that upon release assumes a curvilinear cross-sectional shape due to attachment at a midpoint to a resilient member and at opposing edges to a pair of elongate supports. The stressed membrane can be electrostatically switched between a pair of mechanical states having mirror-image symmetry, with the MEM actuator remaining in a quiescent state after a programming voltage is removed. The bistable MEM actuator according to various embodiments of the present invention can be used to form a nonvolatile memory element, an optical modulator (with a pair of mirrors supported above the membrane and moving in synchronism as the membrane is switched), a switchable mirror (with a single mirror supported above the membrane at the midpoint thereof) and a latching relay (with a pair of contacts that open and close as the membrane is switched). Arrays of bistable MEM actuators can be formed for applications including nonvolatile memories, optical displays and optical computing.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Polysilicon integrated microsystems: technologies and applications
journal, August 1996
- Howe, Roger T.; Boser, Bernhard E.; Pisano, Albert P.
- Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Vol. 56, Issue 1-2