Marco F Aimi

US Patent:

7166488, Jan 23, 2007

Filed:

Apr 14, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/823559

Inventors:

Noel C. MacDonald - Santa Barbara CA, US
Marco F. Aimi - Goleta CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/00

US Classification:

438 52, 438 53, 257E21218

Abstract:

Metal MEMS structures are fabricated from metal substrates, preferably titanium, utilizing micromachining processes with a new deep etching procedure to provide released microelectromechanical devices. The deep etch procedure includes metal anisotropic reactive ion etching utilizing repetitive alternating steps of etching and side wall protection. Variations in the timing of the etching and protecting steps produces walls of different roughness and taper. The metal wafers can be macomachined before forming the MEMS structures, and the resulting wafers can be stacked and bonded in packages.

US Patent:

7358452, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Jun 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/171610

Inventors:

Timothy Beerling - San Francisco CA, US
Steven A. Rosenau - Mountain View CA, US
Benjamin P. Law - Fremont CA, US
Ronald Shane Fazzio - Loveland CO, US
Marco Aimi - Menands NY, US

Assignee:

Agilent Technlolgies, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01H 29/00

US Classification:

200182, 200191, 200228

Abstract:

A switch comprises a first wafer having a thin-film structure defined thereon, a second wafer having a plurality of features defined therein, and a seal between the first wafer and the second wafer forming a two-wafer structure having a liquid metal microswitch defined therebetween.

US Patent:

7559701, Jul 14, 2009

Filed:

Mar 19, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/687931

Inventors:

Aaron Jay Knobloch - Mechanicville NY, US
David Mulford Shaddock - Troy NY, US
David Richard Esler - Mayfield NY, US
Marco Francesco Aimi - Niskayuna NY, US
Douglas S. Byrd - Greer SC, US
David Robert O'Connor - Mississauga, CA
Stacey Joy Kennerly - Albany NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G02B 6/36
G01B 9/02

US Classification:

385 88, 356454

Abstract:

A method for assembling a Fabry-Perot interferometer includes depositing a first metal layer on an end portion of a ferrule, depositing a second metal layer on a back portion of a die, placing the first metal layer and the second metal layer in contact with each other with respective first and second orifices aligned with respect to each other, and bonding the ferrule to the die by thermo compression. The resulting interferometer includes a glass die with a cavity, a silicon diaphragm disposed over the opening of the cavity and bonded to the glass die, a ferrule bonded to the glass die by thermo compression with the first and second orifices being aligned to each other, and an optical fiber inserted through the other end of the ferrule in direct contact to a back portion of the die and aligned with the first orifice.

US Patent:

7569411, Aug 4, 2009

Filed:

Jan 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/625758

Inventors:

Noel C. MacDonald - Santa Barbara CA, US
Marco F. Aimi - Goleta CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01L 22/00

US Classification:

438 52, 257414, 257734, 257E23094, 257E23001, 438411, 438461, 438611, 438 49, 438 48

Abstract:

Metal MEMS structures are fabricated from metal substrates, preferably titanium, utilizing micromachining processes with a new deep etching procedure to provide released microelectromechanical devices. The deep etch procedure includes metal anisotropic reactive ion etching utilizing repetitive alternating steps of etching and side wall protection. Variations in the timing of the etching and protecting steps produces walls of different roughness and taper. The metal wafers can be macomachined before forming the MEMS structures, and the resulting wafers can be stacked and bonded in packages.

US Patent:

7605466, Oct 20, 2009

Filed:

Oct 15, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/872562

Inventors:

Marco Francesco Aimi - Niskayuna NY, US
Christopher James Kapusta - Delanson NY, US
Arun Virupaksha Gowda - Niskayuna NY, US
David Cecil Hays - Niskayuna NY, US
Oliver Charles Boomhower - Waterford NY, US
Glenn Scott Claydon - Wynantskill NY, US
Joseph Alfred Iannotti - Glenville NY, US
Christopher Fred Keimel - Schenectady NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01L 23/34

US Classification:

257723, 257E2301, 438107

Abstract:

Multiple microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) on a substrate are capped with a cover using a layer that may function as a bonding agent, separation layer, and hermetic seal. A substrate has a first side with multiple MEMS devices. A cover is formed with through-holes for vias, and with standoff posts for layer registration and separation. An adhesive sheet is patterned with cutouts for the MEMS devices, vias, and standoff posts. The adhesive sheet is tacked to the cover, then placed on the MEMS substrate and heated to bond the layers. The via holes may be metalized with leads for circuit board connection. The MEMS units may be diced from the substrate after sealing, thus protecting them from contaminants.

US Patent:

7609136, Oct 27, 2009

Filed:

Dec 20, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/961767

Inventors:

Xuefeng Wang - Schenectady NY, US
Christopher Fred Keimel - Schenectady NY, US
Marco Francesco Aimi - Niskayuna NY, US
Kuna Venkat Satya Rama Kishore - Bangalore, IN
Glenn Scott Claydon - Wynantskill NY, US
Oliver Charles Boomhower - Waterford NY, US
Parag Thakre - Bangalore, IN

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01H 51/22

US Classification:

335 78, 200181

Abstract:

A MEMS switch includes a substrate, a movable actuator coupled to the substrate, a substrate contact, a substrate electrode, and a conductive stopper electrically coupled to the movable actuator and structured to prevent the movable actuator from contacting the substrate electrode while allowing the movable actuator to make contact with the substrate contact.

US Patent:

7682956, Mar 23, 2010

Filed:

Jun 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/445067

Inventors:

Masaru P. Rao - Santa Barbara CA, US
Marco F. Aimi - Menands NY, US
Noel C. MacDonald - Santa Barbara CA, US

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

H01L 21/3205
H01L 21/4763

US Classification:

438595, 438763, 257E2132, 257E21218, 257E21227, 257E21229, 257E21231, 257E21245, 257E21253, 257E21278

Abstract:

The present invention relates, in general, to a method for three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication of complex, high aspect ratio structures with arbitrary surface height profiles in metallic materials, and to devices fabricated in accordance with this process. The method builds upon anisotropic deep etching methods for metallic materials previously developed by the inventors by enabling simplified realization of complex, non-prismatic structural geometries composed of multiple height levels and sloping and/or non-planar surface profiles. The utility of this approach is demonstrated in the fabrication of a sloping electrode structure intended for application in bulk micromachined titanium micromirror devices, however such a method could find use in the fabrication of any number of other microactuator, microsensor, microtransducer, or microstructure devices as well.

US Patent:

7692519, Apr 6, 2010

Filed:

Dec 21, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/962178

Inventors:

William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
Christopher Fred Keimel - Schenectady NY, US
Xuefeng Wang - Schenectady NY, US
Marco Francesco Aimi - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01P 1/10
H01H 57/00

US Classification:

333262, 333105

Abstract:

A MEMS switch is provided including a substrate, a movable actuator coupled to the substrate and having a first side and a second side, a first fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the first side of the movable actuator to generate a first actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward a conduction state, and a second fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the second side of the movable actuator to generate a second actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward a non-conducting state.