EMS device having flexible support posts
This disclosure provides apparatus, systems and methods for an electromechanical systems (EMS) device having one or more flexible support posts. In one aspect, the EMS device includes a substrate, a stationary electrode over the substrate, one or more flexible support posts over the substrate, and a movable electrode over the stationary electrode and supported by the one or more flexible support posts. The movable electrode is configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode upon electrostatic actuation, where the one or more flexible support posts include a first organic material and can be configured to compress to permit the movable electrode to move across the gap.
1. An electromechanical systems apparatus comprising:
a substrate;
a stationary electrode over the substrate;
one or more flexible support posts over the substrate; and
a movable electrode over the stationary electrode and supported by the one or more flexible support posts, the movable electrode configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and stationary electrode upon electrostatic actuation, the one or more flexible support posts including a first organic material and configured to compress to permit the movable electrode to move across the gap, wherein the one or more flexible support posts are made of an elastomeric material, wherein the movable electrode includes a mechanical layer and a reflective layer, the reflective layer supported on the mechanical layer.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical layer includes a second organic material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an optical layer including a second organic material over the substrate, the optical layer configured to attenuate energy of light corresponding to one or more wavelength ranges.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the optical layer includes a plurality of particles, the particles having an average diameter between about 5 nm and about 500 nm.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical layer is made of a rigid material.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material includes at least one of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyurethane.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made of a flexible material.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made of a rigid material.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexible support posts include a flexible support post attached to the movable electrode proximate a center of a surface of the movable electrode.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus forms a display, the display comprising:
an interferometric modulator (IMOD) formed on the substrate, the IMOD including:
the stationary electrode;
the movable electrode, the movable electrode including a reflective layer;
the one or more flexible support posts; and
an absorber over the movable electrode and spaced apart from the reflective layer.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a distance across the gap between the movable electrode and stationary electrode corresponds to different visible wavelengths for the IMOD in the display.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a substantially transparent polymer superstrate over the absorber.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus forms a display, the display comprising:
a processor that is configured to communicate with the display, the processor being configured to process image data; and
a memory device that is configured to communicate with the processor.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a driver circuit configured to send at least one signal to the display; and
a controller configured to send at least a portion of the image data to the driver circuit.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an image source module configured to send the image data to the processor, wherein the image source module comprises at least one of a receiver, transceiver, and transmitter.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
an input device configured to receive input data and to communicate the input data to the processor.
17. A method of manufacturing an electromechanical systems apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a stationary electrode over the substrate;
forming one or more flexible support posts over the substrate; and
forming a movable electrode over the stationary electrode and supported by the one or more flexible support posts, the movable electrode configured to move across a gap between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode by electrostatic actuation, the one or more flexible support posts including a first organic material and configured to permit the movable electrode to move across the gap, wherein the one or more flexible support posts are made of an elastomeric material, wherein the movable electrode includes a mechanical layer and a reflective layer, the reflective layer supported on the mechanical layer.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mechanical layer includes a second organic material.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the elastomeric material includes at least one of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyurethane.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the one or more flexible support posts comprises:
depositing a photoresist layer over the substrate;
patterning the photoresist layer to expose a portion of the substrate;
depositing a solution of the first organic material over the exposed portion of the substrate; and
curing the first organic material to solidify the first organic material.
21. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
forming an optical layer including a second organic material over the substrate, the optical layer configured to attenuate energy of light corresponding to one or more wavelength ranges.