Patents by Inventor Rou-Fu Chou

Rou-Fu Chou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6136208
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a planar microprobe and method of manufacturing the same. The present invention utilizes semiconductor process technologies that includes electroplating technology and sacrificial layer technology to integrate constituent elements on a silicon wafer having an insulator layer. The planar microprobe comprises: an upper cantilever beam including a first electrode; a supporting pad coupled to the upper cantilever beam; and a lower cantilever beam coupled to the supporting pad, situated below the upper cantilever beam and spaced by a distance from the upper cantilever beam. Besides, the lower cantilever beam comprises: a second electrode in cooperation with the first electrode to control a vertical displacement of the lower cantilever beam by applying an external voltage thereto. A tip is coupled to the second electrode. The microprobe is manufactured by depositing a photoresist sacrificial layer on a lower cantilever beam. Metal is electroplated to form an upper cantilever beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Rou-Fu Chou, Wen-Syang Hsu, Shih-Che Lo, Hsi-Fu Lin