Compositions and methods related to multiaxially straining defect doped materials as well as their use in electrical circuits are generally described.

Methods for training statistical models for modeling phononic energy and/or frequency dispersion, as well as phononic stability of materials as a function of an applied strain, as well as uses of these trained statistical models for elastic strain engineering of materials, are described.

A micromechanical structure has a first micromechanical element, a second micromechanical element and a torsion spring arrangement having a first torsion spring element, having a first center line, mechanically connected to the first micromechanical element at a first contact region and to the second micromechanical element at a second contact region, and having a second torsion spring element, having a second center line, mechanically connected to the first micromechanical member at a third contact region and to the second micromechanical member at a fourth contact region in order to connect the first micromechanical member and the second micromechanical member to be movable relative to each other. A distance between the first and second center lines, starting from the first and third contact regions toward the second and fourth contact regions, decreases in a first portion and increases in a second portion. In a rest position of the micromechanical structure, the first and second torsion spring elements are arranged without contact to each other.

A method for manufacturing a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, includes forming a cavity in a bulk semiconductor substrate; defining a movably suspended mass in the bulk semiconductor substrate by one or more trenches extending from a main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate to the cavity; arranging a cap structure on the main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate; and forming a capacitive structure. Forming the capacitive structure includes arranging a first electrode structure on the movably suspended mass; and providing a second electrode structure at the cap structure such that the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the main surface area of the bulk semiconductor substrate.

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 linear comb drive may include a stator. The linear comb drive may include a rotor. At least one of the stator or the rotor may include a comb with one or more horizontally-extending fingers that have a tooth-shape formed by one or more prongs that extend vertically from the one or more fingers in a plane formed by the one or more fingers.

A device for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy that include a mechanical device comprising a seismic mass flexibly connected to a base by at least one spring, a mechano-electric transducer that is associated with the mechanical device for converting mechanical energy of the seismic mass to electric energy, and an electric circuit that is connected to the mechano-electric transducer in a way that electric current is generated in the electric circuit when the seismic mass moves relative to the base. The mechano-electric transducer is designed to adjust a force that the mechano-electric transducer can exert on the mechanical device and by that to control the conversion level of the mechanical energy to the electrical energy.

A microdevice (100) comprising a movable element (111) capable of moving relative to a fixed part (115), produced in first and second layers of material (104, 106) arranged one above the other such that the movable element comprises a portion (112) of the first layer and a portion (118) of the second layer secured to each other, and wherein the movable element is suspended from the fixed part by a suspension structure (121) formed in the first and/or second layer of material.

A microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical device having a fixed part, at least one suspended part configured to be moveable in the plane of the device with respect to the fixed part along at least one first direction and a first suspension means for suspending the suspended part. The first suspension means includes two suspension elements each having a first end fixed directly to the suspended part and a second end connected to the fixed part, each suspension element having a half-ellipse shape in the plane and extending between the first end and the second end, and the two suspension elements being arranged with respect to each other so as to form an ellipse.

The present invention provides a linear actuator. The linear actuator includes: a substrate having a cavity; a first fixed electrode structure fixed on the substrate; an elastic linkage; and a movable electrode structure connected to the substrate through the elastic linkage, wherein: the cavity has a first area; at least one of the first fixed electrode structure and the movable electrode structure has a second projection area on the substrate; and the first area and the second projection area overlap. The linear actuator allows the making of an out-of-plane linear motion motor with a large motion stroke, the robustness of impact, the easy removal of residual process contaminants, an improvement of the efficiency of electrical-to-mechanical energy conversion and the off-axis motion decoupling of movable comb structure.