A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a silicon substrate; and a Tantalum (Ta) layer comprising a first portion and a second portion, a first portion being suspended over the silicon substrate and configured to move relative to the silicon substrate, and the second portion of the structure being coupled to the silicon substrate and fixed in place relative to the silicon substrate. MEMS devices including accelerometers, gyroscopes, microphones, etc. can be fabricated in which Ta forms the structure material of the MEMS components on a chip. The Ta and integrated circuit (IC) can be fabricated together in a single package in which the MEMS structure is able to use the full area above the IC in the package.

A method for manufacturing a millimeter scale electromechanical device includes coupling a stainless steel ply to a polymer carrier ply, coating the stainless steel ply in a photo resist material, masking the photoresist material, exposing the photoresist material to cure a portion of the photoresist material, developing the photoresist material to remove uncured photoresist material from the stainless steel ply, chemically etching the stainless steel ply to remove a patterned portion of the stainless steel ply, dissolving the polymer carrier ply to release unwanted chips of the stainless steel ply, and adhering the patterned stainless steel ply to a flexible material ply to form a sub-laminate.

A method for manufacturing a millimeter scale electromechanical device includes coupling a stainless steel ply to a polymer carrier ply, coating the stainless steel ply in a photo resist material, masking the photoresist material, exposing the photoresist material to cure a portion of the photoresist material, developing the photoresist material to remove uncured photoresist material from the stainless steel ply, chemically etching the stainless steel ply to remove a patterned portion of the stainless steel ply, dissolving the polymer carrier ply to release unwanted chips of the stainless steel ply, and adhering the patterned stainless steel ply to a flexible material ply to form a sub-laminate.

An actuator and a manufacture method thereof, an operation method thereof, and a movable device. The actuator includes a photodeformation layer and a first driving unit, the first driving unit includes at least one first light emitting device, the first light emitting device is connected to a first side of the photodeformation layer, the first light emitting device is capable of emitting first light with a first wavelength to irradiate onto the photodeformation layer, and the photodeformation layer can generate a first deformation under irradiation of the first light.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure including a composite spring. A first substrate underlies a second substrate. A third substrate overlies the second substrate. The first, second, and third substrates at least partially define a cavity. The second substrate comprises a moveable mass in the cavity and between the first and third substrates. The composite spring extends from a peripheral region of the second substrate to the moveable mass. The composite spring is configured to suspend the moveable mass in the cavity. The composite spring includes a first spring layer comprising a first crystal orientation, and a second spring layer comprising a second crystal orientation different than the first crystal orientation.

An actuator and a manufacture method thereof, an operation method thereof, and a movable device. The actuator includes a photodeformation layer and a first driving unit, the first driving unit includes at least one first light emitting device, the first light emitting device is connected to a first side of the photodeformation layer, the first light emitting device is capable of emitting first light with a first wavelength to irradiate onto the photodeformation layer, and the photodeformation layer can generate a first deformation under irradiation of the first light.

This work develops a novel microfluidic method to fabricate conductive graphene-based 3D micro-electronic circuits on any solid substrate including, Teflon, Delrin, silicon wafer, glass, metal or biodegradable/non-biodegradable polymer-based, 3D microstructured, flexible films. It was demonstrated that this novel method can be universally applied to many different natural or synthetic polymer-based films or any other solid substrates with proper pattern to create graphene-based conductive electronic circuits. This approach also enables fabrication of 3D circuits of flexible electronic films or solid substrates. It is a green process preventing the need for expensive and harsh postprocessing requirements for other fabrication methods such as ink-jet printing or photolithography. We reported that it is possible to fill the pattern channels with different dimensions as low as 10×10 μm. The graphene nanoplatelet solution with a concentration of 60 mg/mL in 70% ethanol, pre-annealed at 75° C. for 3 h, provided ˜0.5-2 kOhm resistance. The filling of the pattern channels with this solution at a flow rate of 100 μL/min created a continuous conductive graphene pattern on flexible polymeric films. The amount of graphene used to coat 1 cm.sup.2 of area is estimated as ˜10 μg. A second method regarding the transfer of graphene material-based circuits with small features size (5 μm depth, 10 μm width) from any solid surface to flexible polymeric films via polymer solvent casting approach was demonstrated. This method is applicable to any natural/synthetic polymer and their respective organic/inorganic solvents.

A method for fabricating nano-electro-mechanical tags for identification and authentication includes, in part, forming a protective layer above a substrate, forming a first conductive layer above the protective layer serving as a first electrode, forming a piezoelectric layer above the first conductive layer, forming a second conductive layer above the piezoelectric layer, patterning the second conductive layer to form a second electrode, patterning the piezoelectric layer to expose one or more portions of the first conductive layer, and forming one or more trenches that extends into a plurality layers formed above. In addition, a sacrificial layer can be formed above portions of the substrate, and the sacrificial layer can be removed by etching to release the nano-electro-mechanical tags from the substrate.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure including a composite spring. A first substrate underlies a second substrate. A third substrate overlies the second substrate. The first, second, and third substrates at least partially define a cavity. The second substrate comprises a moveable mass in the cavity and between the first and third substrates. The composite spring extends from a peripheral region of the second substrate to the moveable mass. The composite spring is configured to suspend the moveable mass in the cavity. The composite spring includes a first spring layer comprising a first crystal orientation, and a second spring layer comprising a second crystal orientation different than the first crystal orientation.

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided such that a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) element is protected at an early manufacturing stage. A method for protecting a MEMS element includes: providing at least one MEMS element, having a sensitive area, on a substrate; and depositing, prior to a package assembly process, a protective material over the sensitive area of the at least one MEMS element such that the sensitive area of at least one MEMS element is sealed from an external environment, where the protective material permits a sensor functionality of the at least one MEMS element.