A MEMS device includes: a substrate including a silicon layer; an isolation joint configured to divide the substrate into a first portion including an insulating layer formed on the silicon layer and a second portion including the silicon layer in a plan view, and configured to electrically insulate the first portion and the second portion while mechanically connecting the first portion and the second portion; and a wiring layer arranged on the substrate.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A method for manufacturing a micromechanical device includes providing a silicon substrate having a front side and a rear side, where a first normal of the front side deviates by a first angle from the <111> direction of the silicon substrate; forming in the front side first and second trenches that are spaced apart from and essentially parallel to each other, with the first and second trenches extending along a direction of the deviation; forming on the front side a first etching mask that covers the front side except for a first opening area between the first and second trenches; and anisotropically etching the front side using the etching mask, thereby forming in the opening area an oblique surface having a second angle to the first normal, which approximately corresponds to the first angle.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A sufficient processing speed and sufficient processing accuracy are obtained in a microstructure manufacturing method using ion beams. The microstructure manufacturing method includes the steps of: (a) irradiating a first region of a sample with a first ion beam (projection ion beam) formed by being passed through a first opening portion of a first mask, and etching the sample; and (b) irradiating a second region that is wider than the first region in a direction along a beam width, with a second ion beam (projection ion beam), and processing the sample. Furthermore, a magnitude of a skirt width of a longitudinal section of the second ion beam is smaller than a magnitude of a skirt width of a longitudinal section of the first ion beam.

A capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (cMUT) is provided. The cMUT has a first layer having a first electrode and a second layer having a second electrode opposing the first electrode to define a gap width therebetween. At least one of the first layer and the second layer includes a flexible layer having a contact area in contact to a support, such that the first electrode and the second electrode are movable relative to each other to cause a change of the gap width. The support has two substantially continuous shoulder sides each extending along with the flexible layer, each shoulder side making graduated contact with more contact area of the flexible layer as the flexible layer deforms toward the shoulder side, causing the flexible layer to have a dynamically changing spring strength.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

Described herein is a miniaturized and ruggedized wafer level MEMS force sensor composed of a base and a cap. The sensor employs multiple flexible membranes, a mechanical overload stop, a retaining wall, and piezoresistive strain gauges.