Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for ionizing airborne particulates. The system includes an insulating substrate and a first electroplated structure on the insulating substrate. This first electroplated structure includes an anchor and a probe structure on the anchor that is separate from the insulating substrate. A second electroplated structure is included on the insulating substrate.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a lateral-contact microrelay with an electro-thermal actuator. This microrelay includes a contact head configured to make an electrical connection between a first signal line and a second signal line. It also includes an electro-thermal actuator, which is coupled to the contact head and is configured to laterally displace the contact head so that the closing action of the contact head is parallel to the plane of the semiconductor wafer upon which the microrelay is fabricated. In a variation on this embodiment, the electro-thermal actuator comprises a substantially V-shaped beam, wherein thermal expansion caused by current flowing through the substantially V-shaped beam actuates the contact head to make the electrical connection between the first signal line and the second signal line.

Abstract: An optical modular switching system comprising a first optical switch module having at least one first optical input port, at least one first optical output port, and at least one first interconnect port. The optical modular switching system also comprises a second optical switch module having at least one second optical input port, at least one second optical output port, and at least one second interconnect port. Finally, the optical modular switching system comprises an optical interconnect that optically couples the first optical interconnect port to the second optical interconnect port. The invention also provides a method for switching an optical signal. Additional optical switch modules can be added to incrementally grow the optical modular switching system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fabrication process that integrates high-aspect-ratio silicon structures with polysilicon surface micromachined structures. In some embodiments the process includes forming an oxide block by etching a plurality of trenches to leave a plurality of vertical-walled silicon structures standing on the substrate, thermally and substantially completely oxidizing the vertical-walled silicon structures, and substantially filling spaces between the oxidized vertical-walled silicon structures with an oxide of silicon to form the oxide block. The process retains not only the high-aspect-ratio silicon structures possible with deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) but also the design flexibility of polysilicon surface micromachining. Using this process, polysilicon platforms have been fabricated, which are actuated by high-aspect-ratio combdrives for many applications such as x-y-z stages and scanning devices.

Abstract: A process and system to make a submicron-thick membrane with corrugation and proof mass having, for example, a thickness of about 10 microns (&mgr;m) to hundreds of microns. One of the applications is a MEMS device for a directional hearing aid which uses a fairly thin membrane with corrugation for membrane-stress release and a significant proof mass for desirable frequency response. The process is modified from an integrated polysilicon and DRIE bulk silicon micromachining process. Compared to the integrated silicon process, the present process is a simplified version with two addition steps—corrugation formation and backside release.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a microelectromechanical device with high aspect ratio features. First, an insulating layer is deposited on a substrate. Next, a base in the form of a first conducting layer is deposited on the insulating layer and is patterned. A first sacrificial layer is then deposited on the first conducting layer and patterned. A slider in the form of a second conducting layer is then deposited on the first sacrificial layer and patterned. A second sacrificial layer is then deposited on the second conducting layer and patterned. Next, a retainer in the form of a third conducting layer is deposited on the second sacrificial layer and patterned. A mask is then deposited on the third conducting layer and patterned. Next, a reflector in the form of a fourth layer is deposited through the mask onto the third conducting layer. Finally, the mask, first sacrificial layer and second sacrificial layer are removed.

Abstract: A vibromotor (10) includes a polysilicon surface-micromachined substrate. A movable guided element is slidably mounted on the substrate. At least one thermal actuator (20) has an impact head (40) and an anchoring end. The anchoring end pivotally disposed on the substrate external to a side of the movable guided element controls the movement of the movable guided element by electrothermally biasing the impact head (40) to tap against the movable guided element.