A device includes a substrate, a routing conductive line over the substrate, a dielectric layer over the routing conductive line, and an etch stop layer over the dielectric layer. A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device has a portion over the etch stop layer. A contact plug penetrates through the etch stop layer and the dielectric layer. The contact plug connects the portion of the MEMS device to the routing conductive line. An escort ring is disposed over the etch stop layer and under the MEMS device, wherein the escort ring encircles the contact plug.

MEMS based sensors, particularly capacitive sensors, potentially can address critical considerations for users including accuracy, repeatability, long-term stability, ease of calibration, resistance to chemical and physical contaminants, size, packaging, and cost effectiveness. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to exploit MEMS processes that allow for manufacturability and integration of resonator elements into cavities within the MEMS sensor that are at low pressure allowing high quality factor resonators and absolute pressure sensors to be implemented. Embodiments of the invention provide capacitive sensors and MEMS elements that can be implemented directly above silicon CMOS electronics.

There is provided a MOMS sensor comprising a fiber interface comprising a fiber passthrough for one or more optical fibers, a cavity comprising an element hermetically encapsulated within the cavity, wherein the element is movably anchored by SiN arms, which are movable with respect to walls of the cavity, wherein the SiN arms comprise anchor portions at first ends of the SiN arms, which are connected to the element, and at second ends of the SiN arms, which are connected to the walls of the cavity, and the fiber interface is configured to receive the fibers through the fiber passthrough into positions for communications of light between the element and the fibers. In this way a robust structure that supports sensitivity of the sensor is provided.

A device includes a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate and a structural layer formed on the substrate. The structural layer includes a movable mass and a fixed portion, the movable mass being suspended above the substrate and the first electrode being interposed between the substrate and the movable mass. A second electrode is spaced apart from an upper surface of the movable mass by a gap and an anchor couples the second electrode to the fixed portion of the structural layer. A method entails integrating formation of the second electrode into a wafer process flow in which the first electrode and the structural layer are formed.

A MEMS capacitive microphone according to the present invention is configured such that a support plate 120 from which an inside thereof has been removed in a plane is attached to supports 110 each having an end fixed to a substrate 100, an anchor 130 is attached to an edge region of the support plate 120, an edge of a diaphragm 200 is supported by the anchor 130, and a “substrate-free area” includes the anchor 130 in a plan view, and pluralities of moving comb fingers 300 and stiffeners are attached to a top or bottom or a top and bottom of the diaphragm 200, and the supports 110 support the stationary comb fingers 400 arranged at predetermined intervals on both sides of the moving comb fingers 300 in a plan view.

A micromechanical component having a mounting support, at least one coil winding held by at least one coil brace and comprising conductor tracks made from at least one electrically conductive material, at least one first subsection of the at least one coil winding being anchored on the associated coil brace, and an adjustable part, the at least one coil brace and the adjustable part being connected to each other and via at least one spring element to the mounting support in such a way that the adjustable part is adjustable about at least one axis of rotation in relation to the mounting support, and, while the at least one first subsection of the at least one coil winding is anchored on the associated coil brace, at least one second subsection of the same coil winding spans at least one gap formed in the associated coil brace as a cantilever subsection.

A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure includes at least first and second metal vias. Each of the first and second metal vias includes a respective planar metal layer having a first thickness and a respective post formed from the planar metal layer. The post has a sidewall, and the sidewall has a second thickness greater than 14% of the first thickness.

A button device includes a MEMS sensor having a MEMS strain detection structure and a deformable substrate configured to undergo deformation under the action of an external force. The MEMS strain detection structure includes a mobile element carried by the deformable substrate via at least a first and a second anchorage, the latter fixed with respect to the deformable substrate and configured to displace and generate a deformation force on the mobile element in the presence of the external force; and stator elements capacitively coupled to the mobile element. The deformation of the mobile element causes a capacitance variation between the mobile element and the stator elements. Furthermore, the MEMS sensor is configured to generate detection signals correlated to the capacitance variation.

Several types of piezoelectric MEMS vibration energy harvesters are described herein as well as methods of fabricating the vibration energy harvesters. The vibration energy harvesters generally comprise a serpentine structure having a central longitudinal axis; a piezoelectric film deposited on a surface of the serpentine structure; a central mass located at a mid-portion of the central longitudinal axis; two lateral masses positioned at opposing corners of the serpentine structure; anchor points at two other opposing corners of the serpentine structure; and upper and lower electrode layers. The energy harvesters have a 180 degree rotational symmetry about the central mass and when the serpentine structure experiences a strain, the piezoelectric film generates a voltage. The geometry of the energy harvesters allows for lower frequency and wider bandwidth operation as well as higher power density.

A MEMS microphone includes a substrate having a cavity, a back plate being disposed over the substrate and having a plurality of acoustic holes, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the back plate, the diaphragm being spaced apart from the substrate and the back plate, covering the cavity to form an air gap between the back plate, and being configured to generate a displacement with responding to an acoustic pressure and a plurality of anchors extending from an end portion of the diaphragm to be integrally formed with the diaphragm, the anchors being arranged along a circumference of the diaphragm to be spaced apart from each other, and having lower surfaces making contact with an upper surface of the substrate to support the diaphragm. Thus, the MEMS microphone may have improved rigidity and flexibility.