Micromechanical device

摘要

The force on the electrodes of an electrostatic field is used so that lateral tensile or compressive forces result which can deform a deformable element or can strongly deflect a deflectable structure. For this, a micromechanical device includes, apart from an electrode and a deformable element, an insulating spacer layer via which the electrode is fixed to the deformable element, wherein the insulating spacer layer is structured into several spaced-apart segments along a lateral direction, so that by applying an electric voltage between the electrode and the deformable element lateral tensile or compressive forces bending the deformable element along the lateral direction result. Thereby, the problem that normally accompanies electrostatic drives, namely the problem of the pull-in effect, is overcome. The deflection of the deformable element can be much larger than the gaps of the two electrodes, i.e. the above-mentioned electrode and the deformable element. A usage as a sensor is also possible.

主权项

1. A micromechanical device, comprising
an electrode; a deformable element; and an insulating spacer layer, wherein the electrode is fixed to the deformable element via the insulating spacer layer, and
wherein the insulating spacer layer is structured into several spaced-apart segments along a lateral direction, so that by applying an electric voltage between the electrode and the deformable element an area force acting in a thickness direction is applied to the electrode and the deformable element, as a consequence of which lateral tensile or compressive forces result that bend the deformable element along the lateral direction according to the bimorph principle.