US 11,987,491 B2
MEMS actuator element and MEMS actuator array with a plurality of MEMS actuator elements
Peter Dürr, Dresden (DE); Andreas Neudert, Dresden (DE); and Linda Skatulla, Reutlingen (DE)
Assigned to FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., Munich (DE)
Filed by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Munich (DE)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/568,201.
Application 17/568,201 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2020/069101, filed on Jul. 7, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 210 020.1 (DE), filed on Jul. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0119243 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B81B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B81B 3/0027 (2013.01) [B81B 2201/033 (2013.01); B81B 2203/04 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) actuator element, comprising:
a substrate,
a first electrode structure with an edge structure that is stationary with respect to the substrate,
a second electrode structure with an edge structure, wherein the second electrode structure is deflectably coupled to the substrate by means of a spring structure and electrostatically deflectable by means of the first electrode structure to move the edge structure of the second electrode structure into an intermediate position between a minimum deflection position and a vertically spaced-apart maximum deflection position, wherein the minimum and maximum deflection positions specify a maximum deflection path,
wherein the edge structures of the first and second electrode structures are configured to be opposite to each other with respect to a top view and are vertically spaced apart in the minimum deflection position and
wherein, in the maximum deflection position, the vertical immersion path of the edge structure of the second electrode structure into the edge structure of the first electrode structure is up to 0.5 times the maximum deflection path zS, with zE≤0.5 zS.
 
28. A MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) actuator element, comprising:
a substrate,
a first electrode structure with an edge structure that is stationary with respect to the substrate,
a second electrode structure with an edge structure, wherein the second electrode structure is deflectably coupled to the substrate by means of a spring structure and electrostatically deflectable between the first and second electrode structures by means of a control voltage to move the edge structure of the second electrode structure into an intermediate position between a minimum deflection position and a vertically spaced-apart maximum deflection position, wherein the minimum and maximum deflection positions specify a maximum deflection path,
wherein the edge structures of the first and second electrode structures are configured to be opposite to each other with respect to a top view and are vertically spaced-apart in the minimum deflection position, and wherein the first and second electrode structures are spaced apart by a lateral minimum distance in a plane parallel to the substrate, wherein the lateral minimum distance is 0.5 to 1.5 times or 0.6 to 1 times the maximum deflection path, and wherein the vertical thickness of the first and/or second electrode structure is 0.6 to 1.2 times or 0.8 to 1.0 times the maximum deflection path, and
wherein, in the maximum deflection position, the vertical immersion path of the edge structure of the second electrode structure into the edge structure of the first electrode structure is up to 0.5 times the maximum deflection path zS, with zE≤0.5 zS, and
a control configured to provide the control voltage between the first and second electrode structures to electrostatically deflect the second electrode structure into the intermediate position between the minimum deflection position and the maximum deflection position based on an electric control voltage, wherein a minimum control voltage effects deflection of the edge structure of the second electrode structure into the minimum deflection position and a maximum control voltage effects deflection into the maximum deflection position.