Abstract: A method comprising forming a structural element 115 on a surface 620 of a layer 510 via an electroless plating of nickel or cobalt 130 onto the surface, the layer being rigidly fixed to an underlying substrate 110. The method also comprises etching away a portion of the layer such that a part of the structural element is able to move with respect to the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a mechanical switch. The mechanical switch includes a bilayer with first and second stable curved states. A transformation of the bilayer from the first state to the second state closes the switch.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical actuator employs metal for the hot arm and silicon for at least the flexible portion of the cold arm. The cold arm made of silicon is coupled to a metal wire that moves with it and is used to carry the signal to be switched when at least two of such actuators are formed into a switch. Arrays of such switches on a first chip may be cooperatively arranged with a second chip that is flip-chip bonded to the first chip, the second chip having thereon wires routing the electrical control currents to the various hot arms for heating them as well as the signals to be switched by the various switches.

Abstract: A high inductance, out-of-plane inductor is achieved by forming on a flat flexible base conductive elements that are arranged in a pattern such that when the flat flexible base, e.g., a polymer film, is curled, e.g., by application of heat, the conductive elements are likewise curled and opposite ends of different ones of the conductive elements are brought into conductive contact, and may be bonded, so as to form a conductive coil using at least two of the conductive elements. Additional conductors may be formed on the flexible base to act as wires to provide connections to the resulting conductive coil. A portion of the flexible base, e.g., extending beyond the coil, can serve as a base to which one or more chips, e.g., flip-chip mounted, or other components are attached.

Abstract: The planes of chips in a flip-chip arrangement, when at least one of the chips has an insulating layer running through it, may be electrically connected together by incorporating into the top chip a flexible metalized structure which is pinned to the top layer of the bottom chip using a wire bond ball which is connected to a wire that is attached to a pad on the top layer of the upper chip. A single connection connects both layers of the top chip to the layer on the bottom chip. The flexible structure may be similar to a collapsible cup with a hole in the middle or it may be a tiltable micro mirror.

Abstract: A MEMS device achieves a large angle of rotation of a plate about 2 independent axes by employing a handle portion of the plate which is isolated by respective springs coupling the handle portion to each of two actuators. A first actuator, which rotates the mirror about the same axis as done in U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,744 is essentially the same structure disclosed therein, but with the mirror plate thereof shrunken in size. This shrunken plate is coupled by a spring to the mirror plate of the instant invention. Movement of the shrunken plate causes corresponding movement of the handle portion, and hence the mirror. A second actuator, coupled by another spring to the mirror plate of the instant invention, rotates about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the substrate. The second actuator includes an actuator plate and an electrode thereunder.

Abstract: Flip-chips are aligned by making a fiducial in the “top” chip that is translucent/transparent to light of a wavelength shorter than infrared, and at least one corresponding fiducial in the “bottom” chip. The top-chip fiducial may be made of a transparent or translucent material, its shape may be outlined by an opaque material, or it may be formed by etching through the top chip. The bottom-chip fiducial may be reflective of the light which is transparent/translucent to the fiducial in the top chip, in which case alignment can be achieved by employing at least one video camera which is located above the top chip. Alternatively, the fiducial in the bottom chip may also be transparent/translucent to the light, in which case alignment can be achieved by having the video camera located below the bottom chip. The chips are aligned by aligning the fiducials as seen by the video camera.

Abstract: A MEMS device achieves a large angle of rotation of a plate about 2 independent axes by employing a handle portion of the plate which is isolated by respective springs coupling the handle portion to each of two actuators. A first actuator, which rotates the mirror about the same axis as done in U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,744 is essentially the same structure disclosed therein, but with the mirror plate thereof shrunken in size. This shrunken plate is coupled by a spring to the mirror plate of the instant invention. Movement of the shrunken plate causes corresponding movement of the handle portion, and hence the mirror. A second actuator, coupled by another spring to the mirror plate of the instant invention, rotates about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the substrate. The second actuator includes an actuator plate and an electrode thereunder.

Abstract: Targeted heating is employed to essentially only heat a material that is used as a spacer and to bond a first chip of a flip-chip to a second chip thereof and not the rest of the chips. In order to heat only the spacer-bonding material, one or more wires are located within, or adjacent to, the spacer-bonding material, and an electrical current is passed through the one or more wires causing them to heat. At the time of final bonding the heat generated by the one or more wires causes the spacer-bonding material to heat to its final curing temperature.

Abstract: A MEMS device having a deformable mirror. In a representative embodiment, the MEMS device includes a deformable membrane supporting a plurality of light-reflecting segments that form the deformable mirror. One or more actuators, at least one of which is configured to apply torque to a side of the membrane, are used to deform the membrane. Membrane deformation causes the segments to change orientation and thereby change the shape of the minor. A representative MEMS device of the invention enables segment displacements in two directions and thereby realizes effective mirror curvature values in the range from about ?2 mm?1 to about +2 mm?1.

Abstract: A tape assembly for use in wafer dicing includes a layer of adhesive dicing tape having a size at least as large as a footprint of a die, and a screening portion which is adhered to the tape. The screening portion is interposed between the layer of tape and the die when the die is adhered to the layer of tape. The screening portion covers an interior portion of the layer of tape. The screening portion is sized and shaped to leave a sufficient portion of the layer of tape underlying a perimeter of the die exposed to adhere the die to the layer of tape.

Abstract: A MEMS device having a deformable mirror. In a representative embodiment, the MEMS device includes a deformable membrane supporting a plurality of light-reflecting segments that form the deformable mirror. One or more actuators, at least one of which is configured to apply torque to a side of the membrane, are used to deform the membrane. Membrane deformation causes the segments to change orientation and thereby change the shape of the minor. A representative MEMS device of the invention enables segment displacements in two directions and thereby realizes effective mirror curvature values in the range from about −2 mm−1 to about +2 mm−1.

Abstract: Polyimide is used as a spacer that also bonds together the elements that it is spacing apart. This is achieved by constructing the spacer on at least one of the wafers as is conventionally done, except that prior to performing the final curing of the polyimide precursor to form the final polyimide, the elements are aligned in a bonder and placed in contact with a pressure of 40 grams per square millimeter at a temperature slightly higher than the soft-bake temperature, as specified by the manufacturer of the polyimide precursor, for few minutes to promote tackiness. This holds the elements together, and the combined structure is then baked to fully cure the polyimide precursor into polyimide and complete the bonding.

Abstract: A MEMS device having a movable mirror and a movable actuator plate mechanically coupled together such that a relatively small displacement of the plate results in mirror rotation by a relatively large angle. In a representative embodiment, the mirror and actuator plate are supported on a substrate. The actuator plate moves in response to a voltage difference applied between the plate and an electrode located on the substrate beneath that plate. One or more springs attached to the plate provide a counteracting restoring force when they are stretched from their rest positions by the plate motion. A spring attached between the actuator plate and the mirror transfers the motion of the actuator plate to the mirror such that, when the actuator plate moves toward the substrate, the mirror moves away from the substrate.

Abstract: A tape assembly for use in wafer dicing includes a layer of adhesive dicing tape having a size at least as large as a footprint of a die, and a screening portion which is adhered to the tape. The screening portion is interposed between the layer of tape and the die when the die is adhered to the layer of tape. The screening portion covers an interior portion of the layer of tape. The screening portion is sized and shaped to leave a sufficient portion of the layer of tape underlying a perimeter of the die exposed to adhere the die to the layer of tape.

Abstract: The planes of chips in a flip-chip arrangement, when at least one of the chips has an insulating layer running through it, may be electrically connected together by incorporating into the top chip a flexible metalized structure which is pinned to the top layer of the bottom chip using a wire bond ball which is connected to a wire that is attached to a pad on the top layer of the upper chip. A single connection connects both layers of the top chip to the layer on the bottom chip. The flexible structure may be similar to a collapsible cup with a hole in the middle or it may be a tiltable micro mirror.

Abstract: Flip-chips are aligned by making a fiducial in the “top” chip that is translucent/transparent to light of a wavelength shorter than infrared, and at least one corresponding fiducial in the “bottom” chip. The top-chip fiducial may be made of a transparent or translucent material, its shape may be outlined by an opaque material, or it may be formed by etching through the top chip. The bottom-chip fiducial may be reflective of the light which is transparent/translucent to the fiducial in the top chip, in which case alignment can be achieved by employing at least one video camera which is located above the top chip. Alternatively, the fiducial in the bottom chip may also be transparent/translucent to the light, in which case alignment can be achieved by having the video camera located below the bottom chip. The chips are aligned by aligning the fiducials as seen by the video camera.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator device is disclosed. The MEMS actuator device has an actuated element that is rotatably connected to a support structure via torsional members. The torsional members provide a restoring force to keep the actuated element planar to the surface of an underlying substrate. The surface of the substrate has electrodes formed thereon. The electrodes are adapted to receive an electrical potential. When an electrical potential is applied to certain of the electrodes, an electrostatic force is generated which causes the actuated element to rotate out of plane. The electrodes have three components. At least a portion of two of the components is within the tilting area of the actuated element. The third is outside the tilting area of the actuated element. The tilting area is defined as the surface area of the actuated element as projected onto the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator device is disclosed. The MEMS actuator device has an actuated element that is rotatably connected to a support structure via torsional members. The torsional members provide a restoring force to keep the actuated element planar to the surface of an underlying substrate. The surface of the substrate has electrodes formed thereon. The electrodes are adapted to receive an electrical potential. When an electrical potential is applied to certain of the electrodes, an electrostatic force is generated which causes the actuated element to rotate out of plane. The electrodes have three components. At least a portion of two of the components is within the tilting area of the actuated element. The third is outside the tilting area of the actuated element. The tilting area is defined as the surface area of the actuated element as projected onto the underlying substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical device. The micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical device includes a mirror having a substrate with an implanted light reflective optical layer thereover, and a mounting substrate on which the mirror is movably mounted. The inclusion of the dopant within the light reflective optical layer increases the tensile stress of the device and tends to correct the concave curvature of the mirror structure toward a desirably flat configuration.