A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a substrate, a suspended element and a damping structure connected to the suspended element and one or more fluid confinement structures. The suspended element is connected to a fixed part of the substrate by one or more flexures configured to permit movement of the suspended element relative to a fixed part of the substrate. The damping structure extends into a gap between the suspended element and the fixed part of the substrate. The damping structure includes one or more winglets that protrude over a recessed portion of the fixed part of the substrate. The fluid confinement structures are formed by the recessed portion of the fixed substrate and are configured to permit movement of the damping structure over the recessed portion of the substrate and confine a viscoelastic fluid to the limited portion of the gap underneath the winglets.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device comprising a wafer including a MEMS device in a substrate of the wafer is mounted to a fluid dispenser stage. The MEMS device has a damping structure coupled to a suspended element and one or more fluid confinement structures. The suspended element is connected to a fixed part of the substrate by one or more flexures configured to permit movement of the suspended element relative to the fixed part of the substrate. The damping structure extends into a gap between the suspended element and fixed part of the substrate. The fluid confinement structures permit movement of the damping structure within a limited portion of the gap and confine a viscoelastic fluid to the limited portion of the gap. A viscoelastic fluid is deposited onto the wafer in an area of the wafer configured to communicate the viscoelastic fluid into the limited portion of the gap.

An actuator includes: an electrostatic actuation mechanism including a stationary electrode and a movable electrode; a first movable part driven by the electrostatic actuation mechanism; a first elastic support part that elastically supports the first movable part; an electret formed in at least one of the stationary electrode and the movable electrode; and a drive control unit that controls application of voltage to the electrostatic actuation mechanism. In the actuator a plurality of stable states are set in which the first movable part is positioned at a stable position at which an electrostatic force generated by the electret matches with an elastic force exerted by the first elastic support part or at a stable position near such stable position. By applying a voltage to the electrostatic actuation mechanism, the first movable part may be displaced from any stable position to another stable position.

A Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) device includes at least one CMUT cell including a first substrate having a top side including a patterned dielectric layer thereon including a thick and a thin dielectric region. A membrane layer is bonded on the thick dielectric region and over the thin dielectric region to provide a movable membrane over a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) cavity. A through-substrate via (TSV) includes a dielectric liner which extends from a bottom side of the first substrate to a top surface of the membrane layer. A top side metal layer includes a first portion over the TSV, over the movable membrane, and coupling the TSV to the movable membrane. A patterned metal layer is on the bottom side surface of the first substrate including a first patterned layer portion contacting the bottom side of the first substrate lateral to the TSV.

In an example, a method includes interacting electric fields from charges in conductors in different inertial reference frames to effect motion. The example method implements the mathematical framework that divides electric fields from charges in different inertial reference frames into separate electric field equations in electrically isolated conductors. The example method may implement the interaction of these electric fields to produce a force on an assembly that can, by way of illustration, propel a spacecraft using electricity without other propellant(s).

In an example, a method includes interacting electric fields from charges in conductors in different inertial reference frames to effect motion. The example method implements the mathematical framework that divides electric fields from charges in different inertial reference frames into separate electric field equations in electrically isolated conductors. The example method may implement the interaction of these electric fields to produce a force on an assembly that can, by way of illustration, propel a spacecraft using electricity without other propellant(s).

A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes: a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement; and an optoelectronic device coupled to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator.

In an example, a method includes interacting electric fields from charges in conductors in different inertial reference frames to effect motion. The example method implements the mathematical framework that divides electric fields from charges in different inertial reference frames into separate electric field equations in electrically isolated conductors. The example method may implement the interaction of these electric fields to produce a force on an assembly that can, by way of illustration, propel a spacecraft using electricity without other propellant(s).

An optical device includes a support portion, a movable portion; and a pair of torsion bars. An optical function portion is provided on one surface of the movable portion and a rib portion is provided on the other surface of the movable portion. The rib portion includes eight extending portions of first to eighth extending portions. When setting directions in which the first to eighth extending portions extend as first to eighth extending directions respectively, and setting an angle between the first and second extending directions as a first angle, an angle between the third and fourth extending directions as a second angle, an angle between the fifth and sixth extending directions as a third angle, and an angle between the seventh and eighth extending directions as a fourth angle, each of the first and second angle is larger than each of the third and fourth angle.

A vertical comb drive assembly may include a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly may include a comb anchor to attach the rotor assembly to a base, a comb rotor attached to the comb anchor, and a movable element attached to the comb rotor. The vertical comb drive assembly may include a stator assembly. The stator assembly may include a plate anchor to attach the stator assembly to the base, a plate, wherein the plate forms a comb stator, and a plate hinge to connect the plate to the plate anchor. The plate hinge and the plate may be configured for moving the plate from a first position where the comb rotor and the comb stator are both in a first plane to a second position where the comb rotor is in the first plane and the comb stator is in a second plane.