In some exemplary embodiments, a MEMS accelerometer includes a device wafer having a proof mass and a plurality of tracking anchor points attached to a substrate. Each tracking anchor is configured to deflect in response to asymmetrical deformation in the substrate, and transfer mechanical forces generated in response to the deflection to tilt the proof mass in a direction of the deformation.

An actuator element of a MEMS device is provided, which is fabricated using surface micromachining on a substrate. An insulating layer having a first portion contacts the substrate while a second portion is separated from the substrate by a gap. A metallic layer contacts the insulating layer having a first portion contacting the first portion of the insulating layer and a second portion contacting the second portion of the insulating layer. The second portion of the metallic layer is prestressed. Alternately, the actuator element includes a first insulating layer separated from the substrate by a gap. A metallic layer has a first portion contacting the substrate and a second portion contacting the insulating layer. A second insulating layer contacts a portion of the second portion of the metallic layer opposite the first insulating layer, where the second insulating layer is prestressed.

A micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) device is formed in a first wafer overlying and bonded to a second wafer. The first wafer includes a fixed part, a movable part, and elastic elements that elastically couple the movable part and the fixed part. The movable part further carries actuation elements configured to control a relative movement, such as a rotation, of the movable part with respect to the fixed part. The second wafer is bonded to the first wafer through projections extending from the first wafer. The projections may, for example, be formed by selectively removing part of a semiconductor layer. A composite wafer formed by the first and second wafers is cut to form many MEMS devices.

An actuator device includes a support portion, a movable portion, a connection portion which connects the movable portion to the support portion on a second axis so that the movable portion is swingable about the second axis, a first wiring which is provided on the connection portion, and a second wiring which is provided on the support portion. The rigidity of a first metal material forming the first wiring is higher than that of a second metal material forming the second wiring. The second wiring is connected to a surface opposite to the support portion in a first connection part located on the support portion in the first connection part.

The present invention relates to a MEMS-based three-axis acceleration sensor and, more specifically, comprises: an x-axis sensor mass sensing an external acceleration inputted in the direction of a first axis parallel to a bottom wafer substrate; a y-axis sensor mass sensing an external acceleration inputted in the direction of a second axis parallel to the bottom wafer substrate and perpendicular to the first axis; and a z-axis sensor mass formed so as to encompass the x-axis sensor mass and the y-axis sensor mass and sensing an external acceleration inputted in the direction of a third axis perpendicular to the bottom wafer substrate, wherein space is saved and accelerations in the three axis directions are respectively measured by sensing the independent movement of each axis sensor mass.

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.

An actuator device includes a support portion, a movable portion, a connection portion which connects the movable portion to the support portion on a second axis, a first wiring which is provided on the connection portion, a second wiring which is provided on the support portion, and an insulation layer which includes a first opening exposing a surface opposite to the support portion in a first connection part located on the support portion in one of the first wiring and the second wiring and covers a corner of the first connection part. The rigidity of a first metal material forming the first wiring is higher than the rigidity of a second metal material forming the second wiring. The other wiring of the first wiring and the second wiring is connected to the surface of the first connection part in the first opening.

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 microscanner for projecting electromagnetic radiation onto an observation field comprises: a deflection element having a mirror surface designed as a micromirror for deflecting an incident electromagnetic beam; a support structure that surrounds the deflection element at least in some sections; and a spring device having a plurality of springs. By means of the springs, the deflection element is suspended on the support structure in an oscillating manner in such a way that it can simultaneously carry out a first rotational oscillation around a first oscillation axis and a second rotational oscillation around a second oscillation axis orthogonal thereto relative to the support structure, in order to be able to effectuate a Lissajous projection in an observation field by reflection of an electromagnetic beam incident on the deflection element during the simultaneous oscillations. At least one of the springs comprises a spring section which is designed as a meander spring having a sequence of two or more meanders which follow one another along its longitudinal direction and extend transversely thereto. The spring section is arranged within a space between the deflection element and the support structure and is guided with its longitudinal direction along a line which deviates from a radial direction in relation to the geometric center point of the micromirror.

Disclosed are an electrostatically driven comb structure of an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System), a micro-mirror using the same, and a preparation method therefor. The surface of a comb of the electrostatically driven comb structure of the MEMS has an insulating layer, and the insulating layers on the surfaces of adjacent combs are the same type of insulating layers or different insulating layers; the micro-mirror with the electrostatically driven comb structure of the MEMS successively includes a substrate, an isolating layer and a device layer from bottom to top; the method for manufacturing the micro-mirror prepares the insulating layers by high temperature oxidization, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, low pressure chemical vapor deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, physical deposition, atomic layer deposition or stepwise heterogeneous deposition; same or different insulating layers are obtained on the surfaces of the driving comb and the ground comb; when the driving comb and the ground comb adsorb each other, the insulating layers on the surfaces of the two contact without forming a short circuit, so that a good insulating effect is achieved. The electrostatically driven MEMS micro-mirror capable of preventing adsorptive damage provided by the present invention features compact structure and simple process.