A power conversion device includes an enclosure containing one or more drops of a liquid. A capacitive electret transducer is coupled to the enclosure. In response to applied heat at a heating surface, the liquid vaporizes and then condenses on a flexible membrane of the capacitive electret transducer. The flexible membrane is displaced in response to the vaporization-condensation and the capacitive electret transducer generates an output current.

Devices and methods of operating partitioned actuator plates to obtain a desirable shape of a movable component of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device. The subject matter described herein can in some embodiments include a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device including a plurality of actuation electrodes attached to a first surface, where each of the one or more actuation electrode being independently controllable, and a movable component spaced apart from the first surface and movable with respect to the first surface. Where the movable component further includes one or more movable actuation electrodes spaced apart from the plurality of fixed actuation electrodes.

An air pulse generating element, disposed in a sound producing device, includes a membrane, disposed within a chamber; and a plurality of valves, disposed by the membrane within the chamber, configured to seal a plurality of openings of the chamber in response to a plurality of valve control signals; wherein the membrane and the plurality of valves are all fabricated at a first layer.

A device includes a thermally deformable assembly accommodated in a cavity of the interconnection part of an integrated circuit. The assembly can bend when there is a variation in temperature, so that its free end zone is displaced vertically. The assembly can be formed in the back end of line of the integrated circuit.

A micromechanical spring structure, including a spring beam and a rigid micromechanical structure, the spring beam including a first end and an opposing second end along a main extension direction. The spring beam includes a fork having two support arms on at least one of the two ends, which is anchored to the rigid micromechanical structure, the two support arms being anchored to a surface of the rigid micromechanical structure, which extends perpendicular to the main extension direction of the spring beam.

A novel high resolution, low noise MEMS capacitive accelerometer is disclosed. The accelerometer utilizes a piston-tube electrode configuration that enables the use of a wide area for the electrodes. Therefore, a high capacitive sensitivity is achieved. The accelerometer consists of two structures: upper and lower. The lower structure contains a plurality of fixed electrodes that are attached to the base and have a piston-style shape (teeth). Those pistons form the sensing electrodes of the accelerometer. The upper structure contains a plurality of moving electrodes that have a tube-style shape (through holes), and they are attached to a substrate via restoring mechanical springs. The proof mass of the accelerometer is distributed around these tubes to reduce squeeze thin film damping in the system. The accelerometer is able to sense linear acceleration along the z-axis and/or the angular acceleration about the in-plane axes (x and y).

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a MEMS device. In some embodiments, a first interlayer dielectric layer is formed over a substrate, and a diaphragm is formed over the first interlayer dielectric layer. Then, a second interlayer dielectric layer is formed over the diaphragm. A first etch is performed to form an opening through the second interlayer dielectric layer and the diaphragm and reaching into an upper portion of the first interlayer dielectric layer. A second etch is performed to the first interlayer dielectric layer and the second interlayer dielectric layer to form recesses above and below the diaphragm and to respectively expose a portion of a top surface and a portion of a bottom surface of the diaphragm. A sidewall stopper is formed along a sidewall of the diaphragm into the recesses of the first interlayer dielectric layer and the second interlayer dielectric layer.

A microelectromechanical structure including a first wafer structure attached by bonding to a second wafer structure. The first wafer structure includes a build part of silicon wafer material, a through via, and an isolation structure separating the through via from the build part. The through via extends between a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact through the first wafer structure in a first direction. The first electrical contact of the first wafer structure is accessible externally and the second electrical contact of the first wafer structure connects to an internal electrical contact on the second wafer structure. In the first direction, the extent of the isolation structure includes a hollow section and a via fill section where the isolation structure is filled with solid electrically insulating material. enables considerable increase of gap height in MEMS structures.

An actuating and sensing module is disclosed and includes an actuating device, a first substrate, a second substrate, a valve membrane and a sensor stacked sequentially. The first substrate includes an intake channel, an exhaust channel, an inlet and an outlet. The valve membrane is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and includes an intake valve and an exhaust valve to insulate the intake channel and the exhaust channel, respectively. The actuating device is disposed to seal a through slot of the second substrate to form a compressing chamber. The inlet, the intake channel, the compressing chamber, the exhaust channel and the outlet are in communication with each other to define a gas flow loop. The sensor is disposed in the gas flow loop. While the actuating device drives gas from the outside, the gas is transported into the gas flow loop and sensed by the sensor.

The present disclosure relates to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) package featuring a flat plate having a raised edge around its perimeter serving as an anti-stiction device, and an associated method of formation. A CMOS IC is provided having a dielectric structure surrounding a plurality of conductive interconnect layers disposed over a CMOS substrate. A MEMS IC is bonded to the dielectric structure such that it forms a cavity with a lowered central portion the dielectric structure, and the MEMS IC includes a movable mass that is arranged within the cavity. The CMOS IC includes an anti-stiction plate disposed under the movable mass. The anti-stiction plate is made of a conductive material and has a raised edge surrounding at least a part of a perimeter of a substantially planar upper surface.