Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) includes a housing defining an enclosed cavity, stator tines extending from the housing into the cavity, a MEMS device located within the cavity, the MEMS device including a proof mass and rotor tines extending from the proof mass, each rotor tine being positioned at a capacitive distance from a corresponding stator tine. The rotor tines include a first section extending a first distance from an insulating layer of the rotor tines and a second section extending a second distance from the insulating layer in an opposite direction from the first section. The stator tines include a first section extending a first distance from an insulating layer of the stator tines and a second section extending a second distance from the insulating layer in an opposite direction from the first section, the stator tine first distance being greater than the rotor tine first distance.

Abstract: A micoroelectromechanical system (MEMS) includes a housing defining an enclosed cavity, stator tines extending from the housing into the cavity, a MEMS device located within the cavity, the MEMS device including a proof mass and rotor tines extending from the proof mass, each rotor tine being positioned at a capacitive distance from a corresponding stator tine. The rotor tines include a first section extending a first distance from an insulating layer of the rotor tines and a second section extending a second distance from the insulating layer in an opposite direction from the first section. The stator tines include a first section extending a first distance from an insulating layer of the stator tines and a second section extending a second distance from the insulating layer in an opposite direction from the first section, the stator tine first distance being greater than the rotor tine first distance.

Abstract: A method for fabricating substrate material to include trenches and unreleased beams with submicron dimensions includes etching a first oxide layer on the substrate to define a first set of voids in the first oxide layer to expose the substrate. A second oxide layer is accreted to the first oxide layer to narrow the first set of voids to become a second set of voids on the substrate. A polysilicon layer is deposited over the second oxide layer, the first oxide layer and the substrate. A third set of voids is etched into the polysilicon layer. Further etching widens the third set of voids to define a fourth set of voids to expose the first oxide layer and the substrate. The first oxide layer and the substrate is deeply etched to define beams and trenches in the substrate.

Abstract: Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) pre-fabrication products and methods for forming MEMS devices using silicon-on-metal (SOM) wafers. An embodiment of a method may include the steps of bonding a patterned SOM wafer to a cover wafer, thinning the handle layer of the SOM wafer, selectively removing the exposed metal layer, and either continuing with final metallization or cover bonding to the back of the active layer.

Abstract: A method for fabricating substrate material to include trenches and unreleashed beams with submicron dimensions includes etching a first oxide layer on the substrate to define a first set of voids in the first oxide layer to expose the substrate. A second oxide layer is accreted to the first oxide layer to narrow the first set of voids to become a second set of voids on the substrate. A polysilicon layer is deposited over the second oxide layer, the first oxide layer and the substrate. A third set of voids is etched into the polysilicon layer. Further etching widens the third set of voids to define a fourth set of voids to expose the first oxide layer and the substrate. The first oxide layer and the substrate is deeply etched to define beams and trenches in the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a micromachined mechanical switch device having first and second cooperating electrical switch contacts formed by respective first and second patterns of robust carbon nanotube thin film structures for forming intermittent electrical contact between the first and second conductors in response to the applied force urging the first and second cooperating patterns of carbon nanotube thin film structures together into momentary or substantially permanent physical contact.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a cutting blade having a pointed tip and ultra-flat faces that intersect at ultra-sharp edges. The cutting blade is batch-fabricated on a standard {100} semiconductor mono-crystalline silicon wafer using conventional anisotropic wet etching silicon micromachining techniques as a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel and planar top and bottom surfaces each formed in {100} planes of a {100} mono-crystalline silicon substrate with first and second mutually rotated cutting edges formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate and substantially parallel thereto in adjacent {111} planes that form a first pointed tip at an intersection therebetween, and having third and fourth cutting edges formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate and substantially parallel thereto in adjacent {110} planes with the third and fourth cutting edges forming different pointed intersections with the first and second mutually rotated cutting edges.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a cutting blade having a pointed tip and ultra-flat faces that intersect at ultra-sharp edges. The cutting blade is batch-fabricated on a standard {100} semiconductor mono-crystalline silicon wafer using conventional anisotropic wet etching silicon micromachining techniques as a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel and planar top and bottom surfaces each formed in {100} planes of a {100} mono-crystalline silicon substrate with first and second mutually rotated cutting edges formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate and substantially parallel thereto in adjacent {111} planes that form a first pointed tip at an intersection therebetween, and having third and fourth cutting edges formed between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate and substantially parallel thereto in adjacent {110} planes with the third and fourth cutting edges forming different pointed intersections with the first and second mutually rotated cutting edges.