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EP0205450A1 - Dispositifs electrostatiques de commutation binaire et de memoire - Google Patents

Dispositifs electrostatiques de commutation binaire et de memoire

Info

Publication number
EP0205450A1
EP0205450A1 EP19850904347 EP85904347A EP0205450A1 EP 0205450 A1 EP0205450 A1 EP 0205450A1 EP 19850904347 EP19850904347 EP 19850904347 EP 85904347 A EP85904347 A EP 85904347A EP 0205450 A1 EP0205450 A1 EP 0205450A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
array
actuated
elements
electrostatically
electrode regions
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19850904347
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
George R. Simpson
Herbert W. Sullivan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/683,619 external-priority patent/US4736202A/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0205450A1 publication Critical patent/EP0205450A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B82—NANOTECHNOLOGY
    • B82Y—SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
    • B82Y15/00—Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C11/00—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor
    • G11C11/21—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements
    • G11C11/24—Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elements; Storage elements therefor using electric elements using capacitors
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C17/00—Read-only memories programmable only once; Semi-permanent stores, e.g. manually-replaceable information cards
    • G11C17/04—Read-only memories programmable only once; Semi-permanent stores, e.g. manually-replaceable information cards using capacitive elements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05C—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F05C2225/00—Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
    • F05C2225/08—Thermoplastics
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11C—STATIC STORES
    • G11C23/00—Digital stores characterised by movement of mechanical parts to effect storage, e.g. using balls; Storage elements therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/0036—Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]
    • H01H2001/0063—Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] having electrostatic latches, i.e. the activated position is kept by electrostatic forces other than the activation force
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H59/00—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays
    • H01H2059/009—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays using permanently polarised dielectric layers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H59/00—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays
    • H01H59/0009—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays making use of micromechanics

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electrostatically controllable electromechanical binary devices for use as an array, switching matrices, memories and the like.
  • This application is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 642,752, filed August 21, 1984, for an "Array of Electrostatically Actuated Binary Devices", application Serial No. 642,997, filed August 21, 1984, for an "Array of Electrostat ⁇ ically Actuated Binary Devices and Methods of Manufacture", and application Serial No. 642,996, filed August 21, 1984, for an "Array of Electrostatically Actuated Binary Shutter Devices.”
  • the prior art contains various examples of electrostatic display elements. One type of device such as is shown in U.S.
  • 1,984,683 and 3,553,364 includes light valves having flaps extending parallel with the approaching light, with each flap electrostatically divertable to an oblique angle across the light path for either a trans issive or reflective display.
  • U.S. 3,897,997 discloses an electrode which is electrostatically wrapped about a curved fixed electrode to affect the light reflective character of the fixed electrode. Further prior art such as is described in ELECTRONICS, 7 December 1970, pp. 78-83 and I.B.M. Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 13, No. 3, August 1970, uses an electron gun to electrostatically charge selected portions of a deformable material and thereby alter its light transmissive or reflective properties.
  • the present invention provides an electro ⁇ static device for memories, switching matrices, and the like.
  • the device takes the form of an array of electrostatic binary elements each having a plurality of electrode regions connected in columns and rows for addressing of a particular element with appropriate drive voltages to electrostatically change the state of the element. When actuated, the element forms a capacitor.
  • the presence or absence of capacitance allows the status of the array to be "read” using a high frequency or pulse signal to determine which elements act like capacitors.
  • Such switching matrices or arrays can be used to control a further array.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an array of binary elements.
  • Figure 3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a binary element.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic showing two switching arrays controlling a primary array.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of binary elements suitable for use as capacitive switch elements.
  • Figure 6 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of a binary element.
  • Figure 7 is a circuit schematic of a capacitive memory using the binary elements of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a simplified single binary electrostatic element 10 having X, Y and latching or hold-down (HD) electrodes separated by gaps of chevron shape on a stator 11 and an electrostatically attractable flap 12 shown in the form of a curl.
  • Energization of the X electrode region will cause the flap 12 to uncurl partially.
  • Energization of the Y electrode region will cause further uncurling and energization of the latch electrode region HD will complete uncurling and flattening of the flap 12.
  • the drive voltages for the X and Y electrode regions can be extinguished and the flap will remain flattened so long as the latch electrode HD remains energized.
  • Figure 2 is a small six by nine element array 20 of fifty four binary elements or pixels, some of which are actuated to form a visual character, in this case, the number "6". Actuation of the selected ele- ments is achieved by providing a drive voltage to the X and Y electrode regions of the element at a particu ⁇ lar address in the array. All X regions of each row are electrically connected together and to an X input (lead 14) for that row. All Y regions in each column are connected together and to a Y input (lead 16) for that column. Thus, to form the left side of the character "6", the column input lead Yl and row input leads XI through X10 are energized sequentially.
  • column input lead Y6 and row input leads XI through X5 and X9 are energized sequentially.
  • Each selected element or pixel addressed changes state and is latched in that changed state by energization of all latch electrodes HD in the array by input lead 18.
  • Each pixel 10 has a discrete address such as X9, Y6. Consequently, the number of external switching devices and leads required to control the small array of Fig ⁇ ure 2 is 9X inputs plus 6Y inputs plus one hold-down input for a total of sixteen inputs to be switched.
  • the number of X, Y input leads or external switching devices required to control 389,376 pixels in an array 576 by 676 is 1252 plus hold-down inputs.
  • the number of switching devices for an array is given by:
  • S is the minimum switch number
  • N is the number of pixels
  • d is the number of mathematical array dimensions, for example d equals 2 for an X, Y array and 3 for an X, Y, Z array. In this two dimensional
  • Figure 3 shows a binary element 30 similar to element 10 of Figure 1, but having a Z electrode region and lead 17 as well. The Z electrode regions of a group of ele- ments in an array are connected together.
  • Z groups Zl through Z6 are indicated as groups of 9 pixels bounded by dashed lines.
  • X9, Y6, Z2 For a three dimensional array of 389,376 pixels,
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a pixel array 90, for example 576 by 676, which has 576 X leads 92 and 676 Y leads 91 for a total of 1252 leads.
  • a switching array 94 for the X leads and a switching array 97 for the Y leads are shown.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic showing how electrostatically actuated elements can be used as capacitance switching devices suitable for use in the -8-
  • the switching devices are electrostatic elements similar to the pixel elements, they can be formed, for example, at the margins of the pixel display array 90 at the same time and by the same photo-etching or printing techniques as the display pixels are formed.
  • the X and Y leads from the display directly connect with the X and Y switching arrays and are formed as a part of the photo-etch or printing process. Consequently, it is only the far fewer leads for address of the X and Y switching arrays that require external connections.
  • the schematic of Figure 5 shows a pixel 110 of the X switching array and a pixel 112 of the Y switching array.
  • the pixels of these X and Y switching arrays are not necessarily visual display elements, but are electrostatically actuated capacitance switch elements.
  • the electrostatically attracted flaps 10X and 10Y are suggested in the curled state by dashed lines and in the actuated or flattened state by their respective conductive regions A, Xn and C, Yn.
  • the stators, 20X and 20Y have conductive regions, respectively, COM X, B, COM X, and COM Y, D, COM Y.
  • the stator common electrode regions COM X are connected together as are the regions COM Y and connected to a source of alternating current.
  • the capacitance switching pixel lying at the row, column intersection is the depicted pixel 110. It is the only pixel in the X switching array which actuates, and when actuated, electrode region Xn becomes _9_ capacitively charged and thereby produces an output signal which drives row Xn (the desired row) of the display array 90. Similarly, capacitive switching pixel 112 of the Y switching array 97 actuates to provide at electrode Yn a drive signal to the selected column Yn of the display array.
  • display pixel Xn, Yn is addressed by addressing X switching pixel 110 (A, B) and Y switching pixel 112 (C, D), where A, B, C, D are address components representing the selected columns and rows of the two switching arrays and thereby represent independent address components of the target pixel of the large display array.
  • A, B, C, D are address components representing the selected columns and rows of the two switching arrays and thereby represent independent address components of the target pixel of the large display array.
  • a large area display array can, with triads of color pixels, become a flat, very thin television screen of unlimited size.
  • Limitations of the number of the triads are imposed, not by the technology, but by the broadcast signal standards.
  • Cascaded marginal switching arrays permit a cable connection of a realistic number of wires to the signal generator, TV receiver, or video recorder.
  • Lead reduction also is accomplished by use of three or more dimension arrays wherein each element has electrode regions for X, Y, Z...N drive inputs. see our U.S. 4,235,522, column 6 et * seq.
  • Combinations of capacitive switching arrays and three or more -10- mathematical dimension arrays can significantly reduce the external leads and discrete components required.
  • Using three two dimensional switching arrays to drive a single three dimensional array is the equivalent of a six dimensional array.
  • the 100 leads required for the 389,376 pixel array as described above can control (100/6)6 - 0V er 21 million pixels when this combination technique is employed to achieve a six dimensional array.
  • FIG 6 is a schematic, sectional view of a binary element 60 similar to those of Figures 1 and 3 wherein the moveable electrode 12 is in the form of a curl electrostatically .attracted into an uncurled or flattened state overlying a stator 11 of insulator material having a plurality of stator electrode regions COM, HD, X, Y, Z, and HD.
  • the flap 12 is shown curled in dashed lines and flattened in solid lines. It has at least a conductive surface such as aluminum vapor deposited on a film such as polyethylene terephthalate. That conductive surface is not directly electrically connected, but is free to float electrically.
  • the element is addressed and actuated into the flattened state by applying an electrical potential between the several stator electrode regions.
  • the flap 12 will remain latched in the flattened or actuated state by virtue of the continuance of potential at the latch or hold-down electrode region HD.
  • the drive potential to the X, Y, and Z electrodes is extinguished.
  • Selected flattened flaps can be driven to the curled state by an appropriate sequence of electrode switching as is taught in our application serial no. 642,752.
  • the latching or hold-down electrodes HD can be electrets, that is a material, such as polythy- lene terphthalate, capable of permanent retention of electrostatic charge.
  • the conductive electrode regions of the latching or hold-down electrodes allow the permanent charge of the electret to be overcome for actuation purposes. The status of each element will be preserved by the latching effect of the electret in the absence of electrical power.
  • essent ⁇ ially is an array or a field of binary latchable gating elements, either curled or flattened, either reflective of light or not, either a hole or not. Similar arrays can be used as a memory for computer purposes. Once programmed so that selected elements are capable of being uncurled, and the other elements are not capable of uncurling, it is a memory.
  • the binary element When actuated to cause the flap, curl, or shutter to overlie the stator electrodes, the binary element acts as a capacitor because generally parallel planar electrode regions are separated by a dielectric.
  • An array of elements having some capable of being actuated and some not can serve as a memory. In order to read the memory, each element in the array is provided with the drive sequence to cause overly ⁇ ing, if the element is capable of overlying. To ascertain whether or not the element overlies the stator, a signal pulse is directed to one electrode of that element and the other electrodes of that element are connected to a signal detector. If the stator is overlain, the signal will be detected by virtue of the capacitive coupling only available where the stator is overlain.
  • Figure 7 is an array of 64 elements arranged as a three dimensional X, Y, Z array 4 by 4 by 4. For clarity, only the X, Y, and Z electrode regions are shown.
  • the floating conductor or flap 12 is shown -12- in dashed lines for the upper left hand element 60 having an address of XI, Yl, Zl.
  • the fact that only one element 60 has been actuated can be ascertained by providing a high frequency signal or pulse source 75 switchable among any of Zl through Z4, a first signal sensor 76 switchable among any of Yl through Y4, and a second signal 77 sensor switchable among any of XI through X4. Only when the signal source 75 is switched to Zl will it encounter a capacitor (element 60). The signal will capacitively couple to Yl and to XI and can be sensed by the sensors 76, 77 only when they are switched respectively to Yl and XI. Thereby, the fact that element 60 has been actuated can be detected and the address resolved into XI, Yl, Zl.
  • Information is stored in the memory array in terms of the presence or absence of the capability of becomming a capacitor at each intersection of the columns and rows of the array. Analog values of charge are not measured, only a binary presence or absence, thereby providing a stable, reliable memory, less sensitive to electrical noise or random signals, or frequency bandwidth problems.
  • the array of Figure 7 can be manufactured by photo-etching or printing techniques on a plurality of substrate films which are later laminated.
  • the conductor leads for each electrode region are arranged in planes to prevent unwanted inter- connections. Where a conductor lead for one electrode region passes over a lead for another region a further plane having a grounded conductive surface serves as an isolation shield to prevent signals from straying to the wrong lead.
  • the seeming circuit complexity resolves into several layers of printed or photo-etched "art work" capable of low cost manufacture. Arrays of hundreds of thousands of elements can be produced in an area only a few centimeters square. Not only is the cost of the array small (only printing on film) but the number of external connections and switching devices is small, thereby reducing the over-all cost of the computer or other application hardware.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Nanotechnology (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Light Control Or Optical Switches (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Abstract

Des panneaux d'éléments électrostatiques disposés en colonnes et en rangées sont utilisés pour la commutation et pour les dispositifs de mémoire. Des composants à attraction électrostatique équipant chaque élément complètent un dispositif à capacitance et lorsqu'ils sont actionnés ils permettent à cet élément de garder une charge. Un signal de haute fréquence détermine si l'élément en question est un dispositif à capacitance. Des mémoires permanentes peuvent être réalisées par la substitution d'une configuration de zones conductrices aux composants réagissant à l'attraction. Lorsque ceux-ci sont soumis à une attraction ils constituent un dispositif de commutation ou une matrice formée de commutateurs.
EP19850904347 1984-12-19 1985-08-19 Dispositifs electrostatiques de commutation binaire et de memoire Withdrawn EP0205450A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/683,619 US4736202A (en) 1984-08-21 1984-12-19 Electrostatic binary switching and memory devices
US683619 1984-12-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0205450A1 true EP0205450A1 (fr) 1986-12-30

Family

ID=24744799

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19850904347 Withdrawn EP0205450A1 (fr) 1984-12-19 1985-08-19 Dispositifs electrostatiques de commutation binaire et de memoire

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0205450A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS62501172A (fr)
CN (1) CN85106881A (fr)
WO (1) WO1986003879A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH670914A5 (fr) * 1986-09-10 1989-07-14 Landis & Gyr Ag
DE102004010150B9 (de) * 2004-02-27 2012-01-26 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Hochfrequenz-MEMS-Schalter mit gebogenem Schaltelement und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung
CN114273251B (zh) * 2021-11-12 2023-10-03 国网浙江省电力有限公司衢州供电公司 电能表旧表分拣设备

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4235522A (en) * 1978-06-16 1980-11-25 Bos-Knox, Ltd. Light control device
US4402062A (en) * 1981-05-14 1983-08-30 Batchelder J Samuel Method and apparatus for dielectrophoretic storage and retrieval of information

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO8603879A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1986003879A1 (fr) 1986-07-03
CN85106881A (zh) 1986-06-10
JPS62501172A (ja) 1987-05-07

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