FABRICATION SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICES

摘要

A fabrication system and method for producing microelectromechanical devices such as field-effect displays using thin-film technology. A spacer (40) is carried at its proximal end (48) on the surface of a substrate (12) having field-effect emitters with the spacer being enabled for tilting movement from a nested position to a deployed position which is orthogonal to the plane of the substrate. An actuator (42) is formed with one end connected to the substrate and another end connected to the spacer. The actuator is made of shape memory alloy material which contracts when heated through the material's phase-change transition temperature. Contraction of the actuator exerts a pulling force which tilts the spacer to the deployed position. A plurality of the spacers are distributed over the area of the display. A glass plate (16) having a phosphor-coated surface is fitted over the distal ends of the deployed spacers.