A MEMS device includes a semiconductor support body having a first cavity, a membrane including a peripheral portion, fixed to the support body, and a suspended portion. A first deformable structure is at a distance from a central part of the suspended portion of the membrane and a second deformable structure is laterally offset relative to the first deformable structure towards the peripheral portion of the membrane. A projecting region is fixed under the membrane. The second deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a first direction, and the first deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a second direction.

A microelectromechanical structure with electrothermal actuation including a fixed part, a moveable part, a first electrothermal actuating beam enabling an electric current to flow from the fixed part to the moveable part and a second electrothermal actuating beam enabling an electric current to flow from the fixed part to the moveable part, the beams being mechanically connected to the moveable part enabling a displacement of the moveable part by electrothermal actuation, an electrically conductive connecting element connecting the moveable part to the fixed part, a first connector for connecting the first actuating beam to a first polarisation source and a second connector for connecting the second actuating beam to a second polarisation source, such that the first and the second can be polarised differently and separately.

A device with a membrane comprising a support, a membrane made of a polymer material suspended on said support and at least one actuating module arranged opposite a face of the membrane and separate from said membrane, said actuating module comprising at least one actuator comprising at least one piezoelectric material and a beam connected to the support and separate from the membrane, the piezoelectric material being connected to the beam, such that, when a difference in electric potential is applied to the piezoelectric material, a bimetal effect appears between the piezoelectric material and the beam deforming the beam in the direction of the membrane, causing the deformation of the membrane, said device also comprising at least one electrostatic actuator configured for compressing at least one part of the membrane on the at least one part of the actuating module.

Single bulk unimorph piezoelectric elements, with interdigitated electrodes aligned obliquely relative to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the element, such that a torsional response is induced into the element. When such elements are used as a beam structure, with angularly oriented electrodes on both opposite surfaces of the beam, and with their orientations at mutually opposite angles, motion ranging from pure torsional rotation to pure bending can be obtained, depending on the comparative level and polarity of the voltages applied to each of the two electrode sets. If such elements are used as the spiral support arms of a central platform, a large displacement of the stage can be achieved. Due to the oblique orientation of the IDE's, the piezoelectric transduction induces torsional deformation in the spirals, and this torsion is converted by the spiral arms to a parallel out-of-plane platform motion.

A bending actuator and methods for making and using the same. A beam of anisotropic polymer material, such as nylon, characterized by a greater degree of molecular orientation along a longitudinal axis than transverse to the longitudinal axis, has a heating element in thermal contact with at least one of a pair of opposing faces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam. The heating element in certain embodiments provides for photothermal activation of the bending actuator.

A method bilayer composite thin-film beam structure is described. The structure incorporates a bulk phase change material as small inclusions in one layer of a bimorph. The structure, also referred to as a phase change composite bimorph or PCBM, curls abruptly, and reversibly, at a phase transition temperature. Large curling and effective expansion coefficients are demonstrated. The PCBMs may be employed in various self-assembly mechanisms and actuators.

A MEMS device includes a semiconductor support body having a first cavity, a membrane including a peripheral portion, fixed to the support body, and a suspended portion. A first deformable structure is at a distance from a central part of the suspended portion of the membrane and a second deformable structure is laterally offset relative to the first deformable structure towards the peripheral portion of the membrane. A projecting region is fixed under the membrane. The second deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a first direction, and the first deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a second direction.

An electrothermally actuated microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical structure including a stationary portion, at least one portion which is movable relative to the stationary portion, at least one electrothermal actuation beam which makes it possible to cause an electric current to flow from the stationary portion to the movable portion, is mechanically connected to the movable portion and is intended to move the movable portion relative to the stationary portion by electrothermal actuation, and at least one electrically conductive connection element electrically connecting the movable portion to the stationary portion, the actuation beam having a thickness of no greater than half one thickness of the movable portion and no greater than half one thickness of the connection element.

A vibrator device includes a base, a vibrator that includes a vibrator element and a vibrator element package, which accommodates the vibrator element and has a first terminal on a surface on a base side, a circuit element that is disposed between the base and the vibrator and has a first connection pad on a surface on a vibrator side, and a conductive connecting member that is disposed between the circuit element and the vibrator, bonds the circuit element and the vibrator together, and electrically connects the first connection pad and the first terminal together.

According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first actuator, a second actuator, a first frame provided between the first actuator and the second actuator, a first connection member connecting the first actuator and the first frame to each other, a second connection member connecting the first actuator and the first frame to each other at a position different from a position at which the first connection member connects the first actuator and the first frame to each other, a third connection member connecting the second actuator and the first frame to each other, a fourth connection member connecting the second actuator and the first frame to each other at a position different from a position at which the third connection member connects the second actuator and the first frame to each other.