Abstract: A micromechanical device is provided, which includes at least one flexible member formed from an alloy, where the alloy is made up of one or more noble metals and one or more alloying elements, wherein each of the alloying elements has an equilibrium solid solubility in the noble metal, and wherein the one or more alloying elements are present in an amount that does not result in precipitates. A method for making a micromechanical device includes depositing an alloy on a substrate to form at least one flexible member, the alloy comprising one or more noble metals and one or more alloying elements, wherein the one or more alloying elements form a solid solution with the one or more noble metals; and removing a portion of the substrate or a sacrificial layer beneath the deposited alloy layer to obtain a flexible member.

Abstract: A resonator with mechanical node reinforcement includes a substrate, an intermediate portion adjacent to the substrate, and a resonant portion adjacent to the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion may include multiple layers, such as an insulating layer and/or a conductive layer. The resonant portion of the resonator is adapted for an oscillation mode with a nodal point located within its periphery. Preferably, the resonant portion contacts the intermediate portion at points located at the periphery and at the nodal point. The resonant portion may include multiple layers and its primary layer may be a membrane or a plate. An alternative embodiment of the resonator excludes the intermediate layer allowing the resonant portion to contact the substrate instead of the intermediate layer.

Abstract: An improved microwave resonant cavity accelerometer includes a reentrant microwave resonant cavity. Preferably, the accelerometer includes first and second complementary reentrant microwave resonant cavities, each being characterized by a nominal resonant frequency. Each cavity includes a capacitive gap, and an inductive gap surrounding each capacitive gap. A coupler couples to each cavity a microwave signal substantially at the nominal resonant frequency of each cavity. In response to an acceleration force along a sensing axis, a proof mass positioned along the sensing axis differentially changes the dimensions of each cavity and establishes a resonant frequency for each cavity which varies as a function of the acceleration force. The accelerometer includes means for detecting electromagnetic energy in each cavity and determining the frequency of the detected energy. The shift in resonant frequency is used to determine the acceleration of the proof mass.

Abstract: Charge transient errors in an inertial sensor are substantially reduced, by forming an ion-implanted, conductive layer on a surface of a dielectric substrate. The substrate has at least two electrodes disposed thereon, and includes a plurality of alkali atoms dispersed near the substrate surface. A proof mass having a conductive, planar surface is supported relative to the substrate, so that the conductive surface of the proof mass is opposite to and nominally parallel with the substrate surface between the electrodes. A plurality of ions are implanted near the substrate surface and between the electrodes. The implantation dose is sufficient to decrease a resistivity of the ion-implanted layer from a relatively high, substantially ion-based resistivity to a relatively low, substantially electron-based resistivity, and to reduce the charge transient time constant of the sensor to the order of milliseconds.

Abstract: A resonator with mechanical node reinforcement includes a substrate, an intermediate portion adjacent to the substrate, and a resonant portion adjacent to the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion may include multiple layers, such as an insulating layer and/or a conductive layer. The resonant portion of the resonator is adapted for an oscillation mode with a nodal point located within its periphery. Preferably, the resonant portion contacts the intermediate portion at points located at the periphery and at the nodal point. The resonant portion may include multiple layers and its primary layer may be a membrane or a plate. An alternative embodiment of the resonator excludes the intermediate layer allowing the resonant portion to contact the substrate instead of the intermediate layer.

Abstract: An interdigitated electrode ferroic transducer includes a film of ferroic material electrically polarized substantially in the plane of the film; and a set of interdigitated electrodes including at least two electrodes spaced from one another on the same side of the film and disposed at the termini of the polarization field.

Abstract: A micromechanical tuning fork gyroscope has an input axis out of the plane of the structure. In one embodiment, capacitor plates are provided in parallel strips beneath two apertured, planar proof masses suspended from a substrate by a support structure. The proof masses are paired and set in opposed vibrational motion by an electrostatic comb drive. In response to an input angular rate about the out-of-plane input axis, the proof masses translate with respect to the striped capacitors, thereby varying the capacitance between the capacitor strips and the proof masses as a function of the input rate. In another embodiment, proof mass combs of a comb drive are meshed between fixed drive combs which are electrically excited in pairs 180° out of phase.

Abstract: A micro-shell transducer includes a substrate; an electro-active medium mounted on the substrate and including an arched section spaced from the substrate defining a chamber between the substrate and arched section; and a pair of electrodes mounted on the medium for either applying an electric field across the medium for flexing the arched section or sensing the electric field generated by a flexure of the medium.

Abstract: A method of making a micromachined membrane having both stiff and flexible regions includes depositing a photoresist on a substrate; exposing the photoresist to actinic radiation through a mask to define openings having a first width in the photoresist in the stiff region and openings having a second width greater than the first width in the flexible region; developing the exposed photoresist to create the openings; etching the openings through the developed photoresist to create grooves in the substrate; and coating the substrate including the grooves with a film of material having a thickness greater than one half the first width and less than half of the second width to form adjacent contacting rigid corrugations in the stiff region and spaced compliant corrugations in the flexible region.

Abstract: A micromachined piezoelectric acoustic transducer includes a substrate; at least one piezoelectric actuator means attached at at least one proximal edge to the substrate; a gap around at least a portion of the remaining edges of the piezoelectric actuator means; and a flexible corrugated membrane in at least a portion of the gap and interconnecting the actuator means with at least one of the substrate or a neighboring actuator means.

Abstract: A tunneling sensor has a pair of force rebalance capacitors that are used in a push-pull relationship so as to provide a rebalance force that is a linear function of applied rebalance voltages, which leads to an output voltage that is linearly related to input acceleration. The tunneling sensor comprises a plate electrode that is formed from and attached to a silicon substrate by a pair of torsional flexures, which provide an axis of rotation for the plate electrode. A pendulous mass is formed on a first end of the plate electrode, and a tunnel-effect contact is formed on a second end of the plate electrode. A pair of torque rebalance bridge electrodes are formed on the substrate so as to span the plate electrode. A tunnel-effect tip is formed on the substrate so as to be proximate the tunnel-effect contact and in line with the rotational path that the tunnel-effect contact takes when the plate electrode is rotated.

Abstract: A monolithic micromechanical piezoelectric acoustic transducer with integrated control circuit includes a support member; a piezoelectric medium disposed on the support member; first and second electrodes engaging the piezoelectric medium; and a control circuit monolithically integrated with the piezoelectric medium and electrodes on the support member and including a switching circuit for selectively interconnecting the electrodes with an I/O bus and a signal processing circuit for conditioning signals propagating between the electrodes and the I/O bus; an array of such acoustic transducers that form an acoustic retina; and a method of making such transducers and arrays.

Abstract: An electrostatic memory micromirror display system including an array of electrostatic memory and display assemblies each including a memory and display element having a mirror surface and a conductive medium; a support device for movably mounting the memory and display element; and a set of electrodes including at least first and second electrodes proximate the conductive medium; and means for selectively applying a voltage to the first electrode of predetermined ones of the memory and display assemblies to establish an electrostatic field between the first electrode and the conductive medium to urge the associated display element from a first position toward a second position and for applying a voltage to the second electrode of the assemblies to establish an electric field between the second electrode and the conductive medium to set the memory and display element in the second position.

Abstract: A microfabricated, tuning fork rate sensitive structure and drive electronics in which vibrational forces are communicated through a set of meshing drive and driven finger electrodes associated with each of two vibrating elements. The vibrating elements are supported in a rotatable assembly between first and second support electrodes which are in turn suspended by flexures for rotation about an axis passing through the flexures and through a point midway between the vibrating elements. Additional masses are formed onto the vibrating elements to improve overall sensor sensitivity. Sense electrodes for detecting capacitive changes between the support beams and the substrate are positioned on the substrate beneath each end of the support beams. In an alternative embodiment, piezoelectric sense capacitors are disposed on the flexures for detecting rotation of the support electrodes.

Abstract: A tunneling sensor is disclosed having a pair of force rebalance capacitors that are used in a push-pull relationship so as to provide a rebalance force that is a linear function of applied rebalance voltages, which leads to an output voltage that is linearly related to input acceleration. The tunneling sensor comprises a plate electrode that is formed from and attached to a silicon substrate by a pair of torsional flexures, which provide an axis of rotation for the plate electrode. A pendulous mass is formed on a first end of the plate electrode, and a tunnel-effect contact is formed on a second end of the plate electrode. A pair of torque rebalance bridge electrodes are formed on the substrate so as to span the plate electrode. A tunnel-effect tip is formed on the substrate so as to be proximate the tunnel-effect contact and in line with the rotational path that the tunnel-effect contact takes when the plate electrode is rotated.

Abstract: A micromechanical D'Arsonval magnetometer for sensing magnetic fields at low frequency with high sensitivity for operation near the resonant frequency of a micromechanical structure comprising a movable proof mass supported by torsion flexures, a conductive winding formed on the movable proof mass, at least one bridge electrode spanning the movable proof mass, a source for electrically biasing the movable proof mass relative to the bridge electrode(s), and a drive for electrically driving the conductive winding. Magnetic fields in the plane of the proof mass perpendicular to an axis of rotation formed by the torsion flexures interact with current passing through the conductive winding so as to torque the proof mass about the axis of rotation, whereby the resulting rotation is sensed through capacitors formed between the proof mass and the bridge electrode(s). The present invention micromechanical D'Arsonval magnetometer can be operated either open or closed loop.

Abstract: A wafer and a method of making a wafer containing a plurality of severable transducer chips includes a wafer; a plurality of transducer chips formed on the wafer; and a grid of longitudinal and latitudinal grooves in the wafer for separating the chips from each other and enabling them to be easily, individually severed from the wafer, as well as a transducer chip and a method of making it, having integral raised contacts adapted for a flip chip or beam lead interconnection, with a transducer formed on the chip; and a plurality of raised contacts integrally formed with the chip and electrically interconnected with the transducer.

Abstract: A wafer and a method of making a wafer containing a plurality of severable transducer chips includes a wafer; a plurality of transducer chips formed on the wafer; and a grid of longitudinal and latitudinal grooves in the wafer for separating the chips from each other and enabling them to be easily, individually severed from the wafer, as well as a transducer chip and a method of making it, having integral raised contacts adapted for a flip chip or beam lead interconnection, with a transducer formed on the chip; and a plurality of raised contacts integrally formed with the chip and electrically interconnected with the transducer.

Abstract: A wafer and a method of making a wafer containing a plurality of severable transducer chips includes a wafer; a plurality of transducer chips formed on the wafer; and a grid of longitudinal and latitudinal grooves in the wafer for separating the chips from each other and enabling them to be easily, individually severed from the wafer, as well as a transducer chip and a method of making it, having integral raised contacts adapted for a flip chip or beam lead interconnection, with a transducer formed on the chip; and a plurality of raised contacts integrally formed with the chip and electrically interconnected with the transducer.

Abstract: A microfabricated, tuning fork rate sensitive structure and drive electronics in which vibrational forces are communicated through a set of meshing drive and driven finger electrodes associated with each of two vibrating elements. The vibrating elements are supported in a rotatable assembly between first and second support electrodes which are in turn suspended by flexures for rotation about an axis passing through the flexures and through a point midway between the vibrating elements. Additional masses are formed onto the vibrating elements to improve overall sensor sensitivity. Sense electrodes for detecting capacitive changes between the support electrodes and the sense electrodes are positioned at each end of the support electrodes. Drive electronics are connected between the driven fingers of the vibrating elements and the drive electrode fingers which mesh with them to cause vibration. Excitation is provided between the support electrodes and the sense electrodes.