Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080278029 | ELECTROLESS PLATING PRODUCTION OF NICKEL AND COLBALT STRUCTURES - A method comprising forming a structural element | 11-13-2008 |
20080315099 | DETECTOR OF INFRARED RADIATION HAVING A BI-MATERIAL TRANSDUCER - A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) detector having a movable plate supported at an offset distance from a substrate by a suspension arm. In response to a temperature difference between the plate and the substrate generated by the incident IR radiation, the suspension arm deforms and changes the offset distance for the plate. In one embodiment, the suspension arm has three rod-shaped bimorph transducers that lie within a plane that is parallel to the substrate. The transducers are also parallel to one another, with the transducer that is attached to an anchor of the suspension arm being located between the two transducers that are attached to the plate. | 12-25-2008 |
20090040008 | THERMAL ACTUATOR FOR A MEMS-BASED RELAY SWITCH - A representative embodiment of the invention provides a thermal actuator for a MEMS-based relay switch. The thermal actuator has an “active” arm that is movably mounted on a substrate. The “active” arm has (i) a thermal expansion layer and (ii) a resistive heater that is electrically isolated from the thermal expansion layer. The thermal expansion layer is adapted to expand in response to a temperature change induced by a control current flowing through the resistive heater, thereby bending the “active” arm and moving that arm with respect to the substrate. Due to the fact that mechanical and electrical characteristics of the “active” arm are primarily controlled by the thermal expansion layer and the resistive heater, respectively, those characteristics can be optimized independently to obtain better operating characteristics for MEMS-based relay switches of the invention compared to those attained in the prior art. | 02-12-2009 |
20090040636 | TAPERED REINFORCING STRUTS FOR MICROMACHINED STRUCTURES - According to one embodiment, a reinforcing strut of the invention is a polyhedron attached to a plate and having at least two slanted facets, with each of the slanted facets oriented with respect to the plane of the plate at an angle different from about 90 degrees. Two slanted facets intersect to form an edge that causes the strut to have a tapered profile along the longitudinal axis of the strut. | 02-12-2009 |
20090085699 | MEMS ACTUATOR - Apparatus including substrate, pusher assembly, and flexor assembly adjacent to pusher assembly. Pusher assembly includes hot and cold pusher arms. First ends of hot and cold pusher arms are anchored over substrate. Second ends of hot and cold pusher arms are coupled together and suspended for lateral displacement over substrate. Flexor assembly includes flexor arm, and conductor having actuator contact. First end of flexor arm is anchored over substrate. Pusher assembly is configured for causing lateral displacement of second end of flexor arm and of actuator contact over the substrate. Method includes providing apparatus and causing pusher assembly to laterally displace second end of flexor arm and actuator contact over substrate. | 04-02-2009 |
20090243625 | TEST STRUCTURE TO MONITOR THE RELEASE STEP IN A MICROMACHINING PROCESS - Electrical and visual test structures monitor the degree of removal of conductive sacrificial layers used in micromachining processes that fabricate micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). | 10-01-2009 |
20100003460 | Micro-Posts Having Improved Uniformity and a Method of Manufacture Thereof - As discussed herein, there is presented an apparatus comprising micro-posts. The apparatus includes a substrate having a planar surface, a plurality of micro-posts located on the planar surface, wherein each micro-post has a base portion on the planar surface and a post portion located on a top surface of the corresponding base portion, and wherein side surfaces of the base portions intersect the planar surface at oblique angles. | 01-07-2010 |
20100025581 | INFRARED IMAGING APPARATUS - A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) imaging system adapted to (i) convert an IR image of an object into mechanical displacements of a plurality of movable plates, (ii) use the mechanical displacements to impart a corresponding spatial phase modulation pattern onto a beam of visible light, and (iii) apply spatial filtering to convert the spatial phase modulation pattern into a visible image of the object. | 02-04-2010 |
20110074528 | Micromachined radio frequency circuit structures - A radio frequency circuit structure for transmitting radio signals includes a lower guide portion having a plurality of photocurable layers deposited on a substrate and an upper guide portion interfacing with the lower guide portion to define a guiding geometry. The upper guide portion may also include a plurality of photocurable layers deposited on a second substrate. A method for fabricating the radio frequency circuit structure includes depositing the plurality of photocurable layers on the substrate. A portion of each photocurable layer of the plurality of photocurable layers is exposed to ultraviolet light to form a latent image. The plurality of photocurable layers is developed to remove the portions not exposed to ultraviolet light to form a guide portion. The guide portion may be metalized and closed to form a guiding geometry. A lower guide portion may be closed by an upper guide portion formed in substantially the same manner as the lower guide portion. | 03-31-2011 |
20110215068 | ELECTROLESS PLATING PRODUCTION OF NICKEL AND COBALT STRUCTURES - A method comprising forming a structural element | 09-08-2011 |
20120023738 | MECHANICAL SWITCH WITH A CURVED BILAYER BACKGROUND - 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. | 02-02-2012 |
20120087620 | OPTICAL TRANSMITTER WITH FLIP-CHIP MOUNTED LASER OR INTEGRATED ARRAYED WAVEGUIDE GRATING WAVELENTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXER - An optical communication system comprising first and second planar substrates and an alignment assembly. The first substrate of a semiconductor material, is located on a planar surface of a sub-mount and having a planar first edge. The second substrate of a different second material, is located on said planar surface of said sub-mount and having a planar second edge. The alignment assembly is located on said sub-mount, said alignment assembly including rigid standoff structures configured to fixedly vertically align said first and second edges above said sub-mount such that each optical output of one of said lasers is vertically aligned with the end of one of said light-guiding structures. | 04-12-2012 |
20140322918 | MICRO-POSTS HAVING IMPROVED UNIFORMITY AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF - As discussed herein, there is presented an apparatus comprising micro-posts. The apparatus includes a substrate having a planar surface, a plurality of micro-posts located on the planar surface, wherein each micro-post has a base portion on the planar surface and a post portion located on a top surface of the corresponding base portion, and wherein side surfaces of the base portions intersect the planar surface at oblique angles. | 10-30-2014 |