Abstract: A circuit board, which includes one or more sensors, is integrated in a fluid control device, such as a valve manifold and a base plate. The fluid control device selectively directs a fluid used to control pneumatic or hydraulic equipment. The sensors are used to measure physical characteristics of the fluid, such as flow rate, pressure, and temperature. A flow sensor includes a paddle and a support member. The paddle is disposed at least partially in an orifice and is displaced in response to fluid flow. The support member positions the paddle in the orifice and includes a plurality of strain gauges. The strain gauges are disposed on only one side of the support member and are mechanically stressed in response to the paddle being displaced by the fluid flow.

Abstract: A circuit board, which includes one or more sensors, is integrated in a fluid control device, such as a valve manifold and a base plate. The fluid control device selectively directs a fluid used to control pneumatic or hydraulic equipment. The sensors are used to measure physical characteristics of the fluid, such as flow rate, pressure, and temperature. A flow sensor includes a paddle and a support member. The paddle is disposed at least partially in an orifice and is displaced in response to fluid flow. The support member positions the paddle in the orifice and includes a plurality of strain gauges. The strain gauges are disposed on only one side of the support member and are mechanically stressed in response to the paddle being displaced by the fluid flow.

Abstract: A circuit board, which includes one or more sensors, is integrated in a fluid control device, such as a valve manifold and a base plate. The fluid control device selectively directs a fluid used to control pneumatic or hydraulic equipment. The sensors are used to measure physical characteristics of the fluid, such as flow rate, pressure, and temperature. A flow sensor includes a paddle and a support member. The paddle is disposed at least partially in an orifice and is displaced in response to fluid flow. The support member positions the paddle in the orifice and includes a plurality of strain gauges. The strain gauges are disposed on only one side of the support member and are mechanically stressed in response to the paddle being displaced by the fluid flow.

Abstract: A circuit board, which includes one or more sensors, is integrated in a fluid control device, such as a valve manifold and a base plate. The fluid control device selectively directs a fluid used to control pneumatic or hydraulic equipment. The sensors are used to measure physical characteristics of the fluid, such as flow rate, pressure, and temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for manipulating microscopic dielectric particles in which particles are exposed to an electric field. In disadvantaged processes the particles are exposed to inhomogeneous electric field and are polarized by them. The polarized particles are moved in the direction of higher field strength. These processes permit no reversal of the traveling direction of the particles. The particles are enriched at the electrode so that they cannot be retained in free space. In the invented process the particles are exposed to high-frequency field traveling in one or more prescribed direction, by which the particles are subject to a force which sets them in a motion that is strongly synchronous to the field. With the aid of a device for carrying out the invented process, the particles can be manipulated very flexibly.

Abstract: A motor whose torque is not generated by magnetic fields but rather by dielectric forces to be used in microelectronics and micromechanics. The rotors are composed of several dielectrics, which are arranged in a sector-shaped or shell-shaped manner or partially or completely envelop each other. These motors can be miniaturized down to a size of a few millimeters. They are distinguished by having slow to medium rotation speeds, short starting phases (ms range and less), extremely low current consumption, simple construction, high running constancy and being practically maintenance free. The characteristic curve of rotation (rotation as the function of the field frequency) may be selected in many ranges by changing the dielectrics of the rotor.

Abstract: A dielectric micromechanical element the moveable component of which (hereinafter referred to as rotor) is an electrically homogeneous or inhomogeneous dielectric. The rotor is driven via one or more electric field vectors which are generated via electrode arrangements by switched voltages and/or by triggering the electrodes with phase-shifted voltages. On at least one side of the rotor and/or inside the rotor the electrodes form a linear or curved row of electrodes.

Abstract: A method of separating mixtures of microscopic dielectric particles in sunsions in an apparatus for carrying the method. A mixture of particles is forced onto guide paths by dielectrophoretic forces or by a flow of the suspension medium with an additional force, which is provided to compensate the force causing the particles to move along the guide paths for specific particle species causing the specific particle species to be fed out from the mixture of particles. The apparatus may be integrated on surfaces of silicon wafers at low cost and in mass-production numbers, and is suitable for isolating minute particles such as biological cells, cell organelles, bio molecules as well as organic dielectric particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dielectric motor which is driven by means of electric fields. The motor is distinguished by two or more dielectric rotors being disposed in a central region which is surrounded by several electrodes.The rotors may be made of different dielectric materials and be electrically axially asymmetric in design. They are driven by continuously or discontinuously rotating electric fields. Depending on the geometric and electric design, very variable rotation conditions can be achieved, which can be simply controlled via the frequency of the rotating fields. The motor is suited for switch and drive purposes and can be utilized to construct microdosing devices, pumps and valves.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a solid, surface bonding between two wafer plates, of which at least one is composed of a semiconducting material, such as e.g. silicon. The process has the following steps: on the cleaned surface of at least one wafer plate a film having a residual moisture from solvents containing silicates or phosphates is applied, the two wafer surfaces on at least one of which a film is applied are joined, the two wafers are tempered in the joined state at temperatures lower than approx. 420.degree. C.

Abstract: A micromanipulator suited for use in vacuum and microscopic systems is prded for moving objects permitting variable step spans up to approximately 100 .mu.m while having high precision of movement and a high degree of miniaturization. The micromanipulator is equipped with bimaterial tongues which can be positioned with the aid of heating and sensor elements. The object carrier is moved by suitable coordination of the tongue movements. The micromanipulator permits any desired movements in a plane and rotary and tilting movements of the object carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring mechanical forces and force actions by means of body, a restoring element and a movable mass, with elements for limiting the deflections of the movable mass. The movable mass is deflected against the resistance of the restoring element under the influence of a mechanical force which, with the aid of sensors, is converted into electrical signals. The elements for limiting deflection include at least two parallel tongues fixed respectively to the restoring element and to the movable mass, and a bridge element fixed at right angles to one of the tongues, at least partly overlapping the other of the tongues.

Abstract: Disclosed is a micromechanical manipulator composed of substrate 1, heating lements and a manipulator arm 2 which is based on the principle of the bimaterial effect. Prior art bimaterial manipulators execute movements perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. However, it is often desirable to have a manipulator which executes movements in the surface of the substrate. The invented manipulator is based on the substrate surface counteracting steering of the manipulator arm with mechanical resistance, which leads to bulging and shortening of the effective length of the arm and thereby to movement in the surface of the substrate. The invented manipulator arm is suited as a drive means for elements, such as toothed disks or joints, which are movably disposed in the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A gripping device for gripping microscopically small objects for fine-mechanical precision uses a basic body and gripping elements. The basic body consists of one or more semiconductor chips. Thin layer tongues of silicon and metal are precipitated and vapor deposited, respectively, on the body and are equipped with layer-shaped heating elements on or between the tongues for changing temperature and moving a held object.

Abstract: Disclosed is an instrument for measuring accelerations, with the aid of which changes in motion in the three axes of space can be measured with selective sensitivity.In order to detect multi-dimensional changes in motion, three micromechanical sensors, each sensitive to the acceleration in a selected direction, are integrated in a crystal. The sensors are composed of torsion bars having masses eccentrically attached thereto, which, in the event of changes in motion, exercise torques about the axes of the torsion bars. The torques are measured with the aid of integrated piezo-resistances. The planar integration of the acceleration meter permits integrating the evaluation circuit on the same semiconductor surface.Acceleration meters of this kind are fabricated with the prescribed process in planar technology with the aid of epitaxy, lithography and anisotropic etching methods.

Abstract: Methods for producing beam shaping diaphragms for lithographic devices in which a silicon layer is epitaxially deposited on a semiconductor body and the epitaxial layer is formed in the central region as a self-supporting membrane and is formed with preferably straight line-shaped quadratic recesses which have perpendicular limiting surfaces. Photolithographic processes and galvanic second-casting techniques may be used in the process for producing the beam-shaping diaphragm. The beam-shaping diaphragm can also be produced in lightly doped epitaxial layers by using electro-chemical etching methods.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a control plate for a lithographic device. The control plate manufactured with a method of the present invention is essentially composed of a semiconductor substrate having an opening for the passage of particle probes emanating from a multi-beam source and of a corresponding plurality of deflection elements that are connected via bond pads and connecting lines to the electronics of the lithographic device that generates control signals. Lithographic methods and voltaic shaping techniques are utilized for the manufacture of the deflection elements located on the semiconductor substrate which is coated with a dielectric.