A process for manufacturing a microelectromechanical device envisages: providing a wafer of semiconductor material; forming a buried cavity, completely contained within the wafer, and a structural layer formed by a surface portion of the wafer and suspended over the buried cavity; forming first trenches through the structural layer as far as the buried cavity, which define the suspended structure in the structural layer; filling the first trenches and the buried cavity with sacrificial material; forming a closing structure above the structural layer; removing the sacrificial material from the first trenches and from the buried cavity to release the suspended structure, the suspended structure being isolated and buried within the wafer in a buried environment formed by the first trenches and by the buried cavity.

An electrostatic actuator includes a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged to face the fixed electrode. The movable electrode is configured to be displaceable with respect to the fixed electrode and a fixed portion. An attractive force acts between the movable electrode and the fixed portion. In the electrostatic actuator, a non-linear vibration of the movable electrode when a voltage is applied to the fixed electrode and the movable electrode is reduced by the attractive force acting between the movable electrode and the fixed portion.

According to one embodiment, a sensor includes a base body, a first structure body, and a second structure body. The first structure body includes a first fixed portion, a first conductive portion, and first electrodes. The first fixed portion is fixed to the base body. The first conductive portion is held by the first fixed portion. The first conductive portion is separated from the base body in a first direction. The first electrodes are held by the first conductive portion. A distance between the base body and the first electrodes is changeable. The second structure body includes a second conductive portion and second electrodes. The second conductive portion is fixed to the base body. The second electrodes are held by the second conductive portion. One of the second electrodes is between the one of the first electrodes and the other one of the first electrodes.

The structure of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) thermal sensor and a method of fabricating the MEMS thermal sensor are disclosed. A method of fabricating a MEMS thermal sensor includes forming first and second sensing electrodes with first and second electrode fingers, respectively, on a substrate and forming a patterned layer with a rectangular cross-section between a pair of the first electrode fingers. The first and second electrode fingers are formed in an interdigitated configuration and suspended above the substrate. The method further includes modifying the patterned layer to have a curved cross-section between the pair of the first electrode fingers, forming a curved sensing element on the modified patterned layer to couple to the pair of the first electrode fingers, and removing the modified patterned layer.

An optical light package includes an optical output lens, an optical filter located thereunder and between the output lens and LEDS, a tray of LEDs arrayed on a stage mounted on a linear comb based MEMS device that is distributed in such a way that the stage is movable, and a driver that controls movement of the stage.

The structure of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) thermal sensor and a method of fabricating the MEMS thermal sensor are disclosed. A method of fabricating a MEMS thermal sensor includes forming first and second sensing electrodes with first and second electrode fingers, respectively, on a substrate and forming a patterned layer with a rectangular cross-section between a pair of the first electrode fingers. The first and second electrode fingers are formed in an interdigitated configuration and suspended above the substrate. The method further includes modifying the patterned layer to have a curved cross-section between the pair of the first electrode fingers, forming a curved sensing element on the modified patterned layer to couple to the pair of the first electrodes, and removing the modified patterned layer.

Microphones including a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of conductors positioned within the cavity, at least one dielectric bar positioned within the cavity, and a transducer diaphragm. The conductors are structured to move in response to pressure changes while the housing remains fixed. A first conductor generates first electrical signals responsive to the pressure changes resulting from changes in an atmospheric pressure. A second conductor generates second electrical signals responsive to the pressure changes resulting from acoustic activity. The dielectric bar is fixed with respect to the cavity and remains fixed under the pressure changes. The dielectric bar is adjacent to at least one of the conductors. In response to an applied pressure that is an atmospheric pressure and/or an acoustic pressure, the transducer diaphragm exerts a force on the housing and displaces at least a portion of conductors with respect to the dielectric bar.

The invention relates to a sensor-type or actuator-type MEMS or NEMS device provided with a stacked stop element comprising a first flat layer having a first flat electrode intended to be at a first electric potential and a second flat electrode intended to be at a second electric potential different from the first potential, said first flat electrode being movable relative to the second flat electrode in a first direction parallel to the first flat layer, a second flat layer placed on top of the first flat layer and electrically insulated from the first flat layer by at least one intermediate layer made of an insulating material, the second flat layer comprising a first flat element that is mechanically secured to the first flat electrode, and a second flat element that is mechanically secured to the second flat electrode, characterized in that it further comprises at least one stop element extending from the first flat element or the second flat element in the first direction and projecting from said flat element in the first direction, the stop element extending from one of the flat elements being intended to be at the same potential as an opposite surface belonging to the other flat element, and the stop element and the electrodes further being designed for the stop element to come into contact with the opposite surface and to stop the two flat electrodes from moving towards each other in the first direction when under stress.

A MEMS vibration element includes: a base unit; a fixed unit fixed to the base unit; a movable unit that is movable relative to the fixed unit; and an elastic support unit that elastically supports the movable unit at the base unit. The elastic support unit is made of a material different from a material of the fixed unit and the movable unit.

A method for forming a MEMS device may include performing a silicon-on-nothing process to form a cavity in a monocrystalline silicon substrate at a first depth relative to a top surface of the monocrystalline silicon substrate; forming, in an electrically conductive electrode region of the monocrystalline silicon substrate, an electrically insulated region extending to a second depth that is less than the first depth relative to the top surface of the monocrystalline silicon substrate; and etching the monocrystalline silicon substrate to expose a gap between a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the second electrode is separated from the first electrode, within a first depth region, by a first distance defined by the electrically insulated region and the gap, and wherein the second electrode is separated from the first electrode, within a second depth region, by a second distance defined by the gap.