Abstract: A thermal isolation structure for use in passively regulating the temperature of a microdevice is disclosed. The thermal isolation structure can include a substrate wafer and a cap wafer defining an interior cavity, and a number of double-ended or single-ended thermal bimorphs coupled to the substrate wafer and thermally actuatable between an initial position and a deformed position. The thermal bimorphs can be configured to deform and make contact with the cap wafer at different temperatures, creating various thermal shorts depending on the temperature of the substrate wafer. When attached to a microdevice such as a MEMS device, the thermal isolation structure can be configured to maintain the attached device at a constant temperature or within a particular temperature range.

Abstract: Described are structures useful in microelectronic or MEMS devices such as atomic clocks, sensors, and RF switches, wherein a first material is deposited onto a substrate to define a first material area of coverage and a second material is deposited over the first material area of coverage to define a second material area of coverage that includes the first material area of coverage and that additionally includes area that surrounds the first material area of coverage, such that the first material is enclosed by the second material over the entire area and past the edges of the first material.

Abstract: Equipment and processes for creating a custom sloped etch in a substrate are disclosed. An illustrative process may include the steps of providing a substrate having a surface to be etched, providing a control layer on the surface of the substrate, forming a mask above the control layer, and then selectively etching each of the control layer and substrate at variable rates to form a sloped etch in the substrate.