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Reduced formation of asperities in contact micro-structures
| Details |
Inventors: Hunter, James; Staker, Bryan;
Assignee: Silicon Light Machines, Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA)
Primary Examiner: Epps; Georgia
Assistant Examiner: Tra; Tuyen
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Okamoto & Benedicto LLP
A device comprising movable micro-structures configured to contact a substrate is disclosed. The substrate has a metal-insulator-metal construction with an upper metal layer and an insulator being patterned to provide substrate contact regions to a lower metal layer. The micro-structures have metal under layers for providing ribbon contact regions and non-contact regions. In use, a bias voltage is applied across the micro-structures and the top metal layer of the substrate causing the micro-structures and the substrate to contact through the contact regions. During contact, the contact regions are maintained at a potential that is substantially less than the applied bias voltage, thereby reducing the formation of asperities and/or sticking between contacting parts. The micro-structures are preferably ribbon structures in an optical MEM device configured to modulate light. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION A device, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, comprises one or more micro-structures suspended over a substrate.
The micro-structures can be, but are not limited to, cantilevers, ribbons and combs structures configured to move relative to the substrate and contact a portion of the substrate.
Preferably, the micro-structures are ribbons having lengths in a range of about 50 to about 500 microns and widths in a range of about 4.
0 to about 40 microns and are configured to modulate light having one or more wavelengths in a range of about 300 to about 3000 nanometers.
In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, the substrate has a metal-insulator-metal construction comprising a lower metal layer and an upper metal layer with an insulator layer sandwiched therebetween.
Preferably, the upper metal layer and the insulator layer are patterned with vias to expose portions of the lower metal layer and to provide contact regions for complimentary contact regions on the ribbons.
In a preferred embodiment, the substrate has a metal-insulator-metal construction comprising titanium nitride metal layers and a silicon oxide insulator layer.
The ribbons have at least one metal under layer.
The metal under layer comprises contact regions and non-contact regions.
In accordance the with embodiments of the invention, the ribbons also have a metal-insulator-metal construction.
For example, the ribbons have an under layer of titanium nitride, a top layer of aluminum and a silicon nitride insulator layer sandwiched therebetween.
In operation, a bias voltage is applied across selected micro-structures, or ribbons, and the upper metal layer of the metal-insulator-metal construction on the substrate.
The lower metal layer is maintained at a reduced potential relative to the applied bias voltage and is preferably maintained at a zero, or near to zero, potential relative to the applied bias voltage.
The bias voltage between the selected micro-structures and the upper metal layer of the metal-insulator-metal construction on the substrate urges the selected micro-structures to move towards the substrate and to contact the substrate
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MEMS 
