Improved surface-micromachined hinges for fold-out structures

We describe a new surface-micromachined polysilicon micromechanical hinge that is designed for "foldout" surface-micromachined elements. The new hinge shows reduced wobble and enhanced accuracy as compared to previous foldout hinge designs. Features of the new hinge, which is built using o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of microelectromechanical systems Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 315 - 319
Main Authors Friedberger, A., Muller, R.S.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, NY IEEE 01.09.1998
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Subjects
Actuators
Applied sciences
Axles
Bridges
Building materials
Circuit properties
Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits
Electronics
Exact sciences and technology
Fabrication techniques; lithography, pattern transfer
Fasteners
Flanges
Hinges
Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides
Mechanical engineering. Machine design
Micromechanical devices
Micromirrors
Mirrors
Optical and optoelectronic circuits
Polycrystalline materials
Precision engineering, watch making
Semiconducting silicon
Silicon
Hinge
Precision engineering
Polycrystal
High precision
Silicon
Miniaturization
Mirror
Modeling
Production process
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Summary:We describe a new surface-micromachined polysilicon micromechanical hinge that is designed for "foldout" surface-micromachined elements. The new hinge shows reduced wobble and enhanced accuracy as compared to previous foldout hinge designs. Features of the new hinge, which is built using only two structural layers of polycrystalline silicon, are two sets of cantilevers that are fixed to opposing hinge flanges. These cantilevers overlay an axle and thereby allow rotation while holding the rotating part to the support member. A precise locking mechanism for 90/spl deg/ out-of-plane rotation makes this hinge design especially suitable for applications to fixed-position vertical-foldout micromirrors. Measurements on such mirrors have confirmed predicted high precision in vertical locking. The new hinge has also permitted the construction of a mirror on a movable carriage that has been driven in a one-dimensional (1-D) sliding motion more than 100 /spl mu/m by on-chip microvibromotors.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:1057-7157
1941-0158
DOI:10.1109/84.709650