Semiconductor device and method of controlling electrostatic...

Details Semiconductor device and method of controlling electrostatic... Semiconductor device and method of controlling electrostatic...

2009-02-24

2011-10-11

Salce, Patrick (Department: 2836)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Electrostatic capacitors

C361S281000, C361S277000, C361S280000, C361S207000

Reexamination Certificate

active

08035949

ABSTRACT:
A semiconductor device applies a hold voltage Vhold to an upper electrode of an electrostatic actuator and a ground voltage to a lower electrode. After the semiconductor device sets the voltage of the lower electrode to a test voltage Vtest, it eliminates the hold voltage Vhold from the upper electrode and places the voltage of the upper electrode in a high impedance state. The potential difference between the upper electrode and the lower electrode is set to Vhold−Vtest=Vmon. Thereafter, the voltage of the lower electrode is returned to the ground voltage. Whether the electrostatic actuator is placed in an open state or in a closed state is determined by measuring the capacitance between the electrodes based on the amount of drop of the voltage of the upper electrode due to capacitance coupling at the time. With this operation, the state of the electrostatic actuator can be simply and accurately determined, and when it is determined that charging and the like occur to the electrostatic actuator, it can be promptly returned to a normal operation state.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 6853476 (2005-02-01), Martin et al.
patent: 2007/0181411 (2007-08-01), Ikehashi et al.
patent: 2009/0072630 (2009-03-01), Miyazaki
patent: 2009/0121662 (2009-05-01), Miyazaki
patent: 2009/0320557 (2009-12-01), Sammoura et al.
U.S. Appl. No. 12/206,169, filed Sep. 8, 2008, Takayuki Miyazaki.
Gabriel M. Rebeiz, “RF MEMS Theory, Design, and Technology”, Wiley-Interscience, 2003, 5 pages.

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