Patent attributes
A Micro-Electromechanical System (MEMS) device having improved thermal management, and methods of fabricating the same are described. Generally, the device includes a piston layer suspended over a surface of a substrate by posts at four corners thereof, the piston layer including an electrostatically deflectable piston and a number of flexures through which the piston is coupled to the posts. A faceplate including an aperture through which the piston is exposed is suspended over the piston layer. Thermal sinking structures project from the surface of the substrate and extend through void spaces between the posts, the flexures and the piston of the piston layer to provide thermal management of the piston layer. The thermal posts substantially fill the void spaces without contacting either the flexures or the piston, and without altering a deflection gap between the piston and the surface of the substrate. Other embodiments are also described.
