Micromechanical device

US9164277B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. · DE

Inventors

• Holger Conrad · Dresden, DE
• Harald Schenk · Dresden, DE
• Christian Schirrmann · Dresden, DE
• Thilo Sandner · Dresden, DE
• Fabian Zimmer · Dresden, DE
• Jan-Uwe Schmidt · Dresden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 10, 2013
• Grant date: Oct 20, 2015
• Expiry date: May 6, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04N1/08
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The force on the electrodes of an electrostatic field is used so that lateral tensile or compressive forces result which can deform a deformable element or can strongly deflect a deflectable structure. For this, a micromechanical device includes, apart from an electrode and a deformable element, an insulating spacer layer via which the electrode is fixed to the deformable element, wherein the insulating spacer layer is structured into several spaced-apart segments along a lateral direction, so that by applying an electric voltage between the electrode and the deformable element lateral tensile or compressive forces bending the deformable element along the lateral direction result. Thereby, the problem that normally accompanies electrostatic drives, namely the problem of the pull-in effect, is overcome. The deflection of the deformable element can be much larger than the gaps of the two electrodes, i.e. the above-mentioned electrode and the deformable element. A usage as a sensor is also possible.