Provided is a nano structure for controlling optical properties of an optical device. The nano structure includes a substrate, a surface modification layer provided on the substrate to modify surface energy of the substrate, and a capping layer provided on the surface modification layer. The capping layer includes a convex portion having a convex profile away from the surface modification layer and a concave portion that is in contact with the surface modification layer.

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-tunable optical ring resonator is described herein. The ring resonator includes a resonator ring and a tuner ring, along with one or more springs. The springs may be internal or external, i.e., either within or outside the areal footprint of the resonator ring and the tuner ring. The one or more springs are configured to displace the tuner ring from the resonator ring by a desired gap based upon a desired resonant wavelength of the resonator ring. Tuning is implemented by applying a voltage to the ring resonator, with motion of the tuner ring causing a corresponding change in the effective index of the resonator ring. As the ring resonator is essentially a capacitive device, it draws very little power once tuning is achieved.

Preferably, the invention relates to a MEMS package having at least one layer for protecting a MEMS element, wherein the MEMS element has at least one MEMS interaction region on a substrate and a surface conformal coating of the MEMS element is applied with a dielectric layer. Particularly preferably, the invention relates to a MEMS transducer package in which a MEMS element, for example with a MEMS membrane and processor, preferably an integrated circuit, are present on a substrate. For protection, a surface conformal coating of a dielectric is preferably first applied to the MEMS element, for example by spray coating, mist coating, and/or vapor coating. Then, preferably, an electrically conductive layer is applied. Depending on the configuration, the layers may be removed in some regions above a MEMS interaction region of the MEMS element, for example for a sound port of a MEMS membrane.

An optical mirror assembly includes a mirror with a reflective surface and a back surface, opposite the reflective surface. The mirror is tilted around a first axis or a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis. The optical mirror assembly also includes an inverted light emitting device (LED) of a feedback sensor arranged to emit light onto the back surface of the mirror, and four photodiodes of the feedback sensor arranged to receive reflected light resulting from the back surface of the mirror reflecting the light emitted by the inverted LED. Each of the four photodiodes is disposed in a different one of four quadrants defined by the first axis and the second axis and the inverted LED being disposed at a center of the four photodiodes.

There is provided a flexible membrane for use in a microelectromechanical transducer, the flexible membrane comprising an electromagnetic waveguide. There is further provided a microelectromechanical system comprising a substrate which comprises the flexible membrane, and a process for forming the flexible membrane. The flexible membrane may be configured to operate within an optical microphone system.

A method of processing a double sided wafer of a microelectromechanical device includes spinning a resist onto a first side of a first wafer. The method further includes forming pathways within the resist to expose portions of the first side of the first wafer. The method also includes etching one or more depressions in the first side of the first wafer through the pathways, where each of the depressions have a planar surface and edges. Furthermore, the method includes depositing one or more adhesion metals over the resist such that the one or more adhesion metals are deposited within the depressions, and then removing the resist from the first wafer. The method finally includes depositing indium onto the adhesion metals deposited within the depressions and bonding a second wafer to the first wafer by compressing the indium between the second wafer and the first wafer.

An actuator element of a MEMS device on a substrate is provided to create large, out-of-plane deflection. The actuator element includes a metallic layer having a first portion contacting the substrate and a second portion having an end proximal to the first portion. A distal end is cantilevered over the substrate. A first insulating layer contacts the metallic layer on a bottom contacting surface of the second cantilevered portion from the proximal to the distal end. A second insulating layer contacts the metallic layer on a portion of a top contacting surface at the distal end. The second portion of the metallic layer is prestressed. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the first and second insulating layers is different than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the metallic layer. And, a Young's modulus of the first and second insulating layer is different than a Young's modulus of the metallic layer.

Disclosed herein are MEMS devices and systems and methods of manufacturing or operating the MEMS devices and systems. In some embodiments, the MEMS devices and systems are used in imaging applications.

A MEMS optical device including: a semiconductor body; a main cavity, which extends within the semiconductor body; a membrane suspended over the main cavity; a piezoelectric actuator, which is mechanically coupled to the membrane and can be electronically controlled so as to deform the membrane; a micro-lens, mechanically coupled to the membrane so as to undergo deformation following the deformation of the membrane; and a rigid optical element, which contacts the micro-lens and is arranged so that the micro-lens is interposed between the rigid optical element and the membrane. The micro-lens and the main cavity are arranged on opposite sides of the membrane.

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.