A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) actuator device includes a substrate; a shape memory alloy over the substrate; and a reflective coating on the shape memory alloy. The shape memory alloy and the reflective coating form a bi-layer cantilever beam having a first end anchored to the substrate, and a second end released from the substrate. The second end of the cantilever beam articulates between a deflection configuration away from the substrate and a non-deflection configuration towards the substrate based on a thermal phase change in the shape memory alloy.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an MEMS actuator with a substrate, at least one post attached to the substrate and a deflectable actuator body that is connected to the at least one post via at least one spring, wherein, during electrostatic, electromagnetic or magnetic force application, the actuator body takes a second position starting from a first position by a tilt-free translational movement, wherein the first position and the second position are different, and wherein in a top view of the MEMS actuator the actuator body is arranged outside an area spanned by the at least one post.

A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) assembly includes a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to be coupled, on a lower surface, to a printed circuit board, an image sensor assembly coupled to an upper surface of the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator, and a holder assembly coupled to and positioned with respect to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator.

This invention describes the structure and function of an integrated multi-sensing system. Integrated systems described herein may be configured to form a microphone, pressure sensor, gas sensor, multi-axis gyroscope or accelerometer. The sensor uses a variety of different Field Effect Transistor technologies (horizontal, vertical, Si nanowire, CNT, SiC and III-V semiconductors) in conjunction with MEMS based structures such as cantilevers, membranes and proof masses integrated into silicon substrates. It also describes a configurable method for tuning the integrated system to specific resonance frequency using electronic design.

Embodiments of the invention include a switching device that includes an electrode, a piezoelectric material coupled to the electrode, and a movable structure (e.g., cantilever, beam) coupled to the piezoelectric material. The movable structure includes a first end coupled to an anchor of a package substrate having organic layers and a second released end positioned within a cavity of the package substrate.

A microelectromechanical system, including a substrate having a major plane of extension. The microelectromechanical system includes a mass structure. The mass structure is formed to be movable relative to the substrate in a vertical direction, perpendicularly to the major plane of extension. The mass structure includes an electrode structure. The substrate includes a counter-electrode structure. The electrode structure and the counter-electrode structure are coupled capacitively. The mass structure has a deformation in a resting state of the microelectromechanical system. The electrode structure and/or the counter-electrode structure are formed as a function of the deformation of the mass structure.

A micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) device is disclosed that is configured to operate as a reservoir computer including performing sensing and computing co-locally. The MEMS device includes circuitry for: generating a modulated input signal based on an input signal; generating a MEMS deflection signal based on the modulated input signal and a time-delayed MEMS deflection signal; sampling the MEMS deflection signal N times during a time internal T to generate a MEMS deflection matrix, wherein MEMS deflection matrix has a size M×N, wherein N corresponds to a number of virtual nodes of the reservoir computer and M is a number of time steps of time interval T; receiving a trained weight matrix, wherein the trained weight matrix is trained by linear regression; and multiplying the MEMS deflection matrix by the trained weight matrix to generate an output signal that classifies the input signal.

The invention includes miniature dots, miniature disks or miniature cylinders and methods of making the same by dispersing a particle in or on a dissolvable, meltable or etchable layer on a substrate, a portion of the particle exposed above a surface of the dissolvable, meltable or etchable layer; depositing a mask on the particles and the dissolvable substrate; removing the particles from the layer; etching an array of nanoholes in the substrate; depositing one or more metallic layers into the nanoholes to form an array of dots, disks or cylinders; and dissolving the dissolvable layer with a solvent to expose the dots, disks or cylinders. The dots, disks or cylinders can be included with two sets of microelectrodes for ultrahigh speed rotation of miniature motors, and/or can be designed with a magnetic configuration into miniature motors for uniform rotation speeds and prescribed angular displacement. The invention also includes modified diatom frustules, and miniature motors containing modified diatom frustules.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes (132) in a layer of material by subjecting the layer to directional dry etching to provide through-holes (132) in the layer of material; For batch-wise production, the method comprises after a step of providing a layer of first material (220) on base material and before the step of directional dry etching, providing a plurality of holes at the central locations of pits (210), etching base material at the central locations of the pits (210) so as to form a cavity (280) with an aperture (281), depositing a second layer of material (240) on the base material in the cavity (280), and subjecting the second layer of material (240) in the cavity (280) to said step of directional dry etching using the aperture (281) as the opening (141) of a shadow mask.

A microelectromechanical system and a method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical system including: a substrate; a microelectromechanical device including: a diaphragm configured as a transducer to convert between electrical energy and mechanical energy and an electrode coupled to the diaphragm; a support region mechanically coupling the microelectromechanical device to the substrate, wherein the support region is confined to a first continuous region spanning an arc of less than 90 degrees around a perimeter of the diaphragm; and a second continuous region free from mechanical support of the microelectromechanical device to the substrate, the second continuous region spanning the perimeter of the diaphragm from one end of the support region to the other end of the support region; wherein the support region cantilevers the microelectromechanical device and the second continuous region mechanically decouples the microelectromechanical device from the substrate.