Bistable microelectromechanical actuator
- Albuquerque, NM
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.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5867302
- OSTI ID:
- 872134
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Polysilicon integrated microsystems: technologies and applications
|
journal | August 1996 |
Similar Records
Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform
Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform
Related Subjects
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/