Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a magnetostatic MEMS switch include forming a movable beam on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. A shunt bar on the movable plate may close the switch when lowered onto the contacts. The switch may generally be closed, with the shunt bar resting on the contacts. However, a magnetically permeable material may also be inlaid into the movable plate. The switch may then be opened by placing either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet in proximity to the switch.

Abstract: A microfabricated spectrometer uses at least one filter to discriminate the frequency components of an incoming RF signal. The filter center frequencies are chosen to correspond to wavelengths of target species which may be present in the gas, and radiating at a characteristic frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a mm wave resonant filter include a lithographically fabricated high Q resonant structure. The resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities, each cavity having a characteristic frequency that defines its passband. A filter may include a plurality of resonant structures, and each resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities. These cavities and filters may be fabricated lithographically.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS plate switch include forming a deformable plate on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. A two-fold symmetric switch may be formed by a primary, secondary, and optionally tertiary set of voids formed in the movable plate. These voids may define the spring beams which provide a stable and reliable restoring force to the switch.

Abstract: A microfabricated RF filter uses a resonant cavity weakly coupled to a transmission line, to attenuate noise sources emitting interference into the RF radiation at the resonant frequency. Radiation at the resonant frequency is leaked into the resonant cavity and build up there, until it is dumped to ground by a switch.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a magnetostatic MEMS switch include forming a movable beam on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. A shunt bar on the movable plate may close the switch when lowered onto the contacts. The switch may generally be closed, with the shunt bar resting on the contacts. However, a magnetically permeable material may also be inlaid into the movable plate. The switch may then be opened by placing either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet in proximity to the switch.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a compact gas sensor include a multilayer etalon as a wavelength discriminating element. The position of the etalon may be adjusted to tune its transmission profile. And embodiment directed to carbon dioxide detection is described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a mm wave resonant filter include a lithographically fabricated high Q resonant structure. The resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities, each cavity having a characteristic frequency that defines its passband. A filter may include a plurality of resonant structures, and each resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities. These cavities and filters may be fabricated lithographically.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a magnetostatic MEMS switch include a movable structure formed in a top surface of a substrate, wherein the movable structure is coupled to the substrate by a plurality of restoring springs anchored to the substrate, a stationary structure formed in the same top surface of the substrate, a conductive shunt bar having a characteristic dimension of about 100 um, wherein the shunt bar is disposed on the movable structure adjacent to the gap, an input electrode and an output electrode disposed on the stationary structure and separated by a distance of about 100 um; and a plurality of permeable magnetic features inlaid into the stationary and movable structures, wherein the movable structure is configured to move relative to the stationary structure by interaction of the permeable features with an applied magnetic field, thereby closing the gap and electrically coupling the input and output electrodes across the conductive shunt bar.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS plate switch include forming a deformable plate on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. A two-fold symmetric switch may be formed by a primary, secondary, and optionally tertiary set of voids formed in the movable plate. These voids may define the spring beams which provide a stable and reliable restoring force to the switch.

Abstract: A microfabricated RF filter uses a resonant cavity weakly coupled to a transmission line, to attenuate noise sources emitting interference into the RF radiation at the resonant frequency. Radiation at the resonant frequency is leaked into the resonant cavity and build up there, until it is dumped to ground by a switch.

Abstract: A microfabricated spectrometer uses at least one filter to discriminate the frequency components of an incoming RF signal. The filter center frequencies are chosen to correspond to wavelengths of target species which may be present in the gas, and radiating at a characteristic frequency.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a mm wave resonant filter include a lithographically fabricated high Q resonant structure. The resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities, each cavity having a characteristic frequency that defines its passband. A filter may include a plurality of resonant structures, and each resonant structure may include a plurality of cavities. These cavities and filters may be fabricated lithographically.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a compact gas sensor include using a lithographically fabricated high Q resonator coupled to at least one of a Gunn diode and an IMPATT diode. The resonator may include a plurality of cavities filled with a sample gas. A detector coupled to the resonator may measure the amplitude of the emitted mm wave radiation.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an inexpensive method for bonding two wafers. The method uses an adhesive material disposed between two handling sheets and stamped with a plurality of through holes. The through holes are registered with the locations of devices formed on a substrate. The adhesive material is placed between to two substrates, around the devices, and cured.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS switch that is used to hot switch a source of current or voltage. At least one surface of the MEMS switch is treated with an ion milling machine to reduce surface roughness to less than about 10 nm rms.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS plate switch include forming a deformable plate on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. The deformable plate may have at least one shunt bar located at a nodal line of a vibrational mode of the deformable plate, so that the shunt bar remains relatively stationary when the plate is vibrating in that vibrational mode. The second substrate may have semiconductor integrated circuits formed thereon. The second substrate may also have a shielding layer formed thereon, such as to improve the impedance characteristics of the device.

Abstract: The method described here uses gray scale lithography to form curve surfaces in photoresist. These surfaces can be of arbitrary shape since the remaining resist following exposure and develop is dependent on the exposure dose, which is controlled precisely by the opacity of the photo-mask. The process may include a silicon etch step, followed by a photoresist etch step to form an etching cycle. Each etch cycle may form a pair of substantially orthogonal stepped surfaces, with a characteristic “rise” and “run.

Abstract: A method for forming electrical contacts on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The method includes forming a first metal layer over the substrate, and forming a layer of a second metal oxide by sputter deposition of a second metal in an oxygen environment. In some embodiments, the second metal oxide may be ruthenium dioxide, and the first metal layer may be gold, copper, platinum, silver or aluminum.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS plate switch include forming a deformable plate on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second piezoelectric substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. The deformable plate may have at least one shunt bar located at a nodal line of a vibrational mode of the deformable plate, so that the shunt bar remains relatively stationary when the plate is vibrating in that vibrational mode. The second piezoelectric substrate may include lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) or lithium niobate (LiNiO3) or lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zr(x)Ti(1?x)]O3), or integrated circuits formed thereon.