US Patent 7580172 MEMS device and interconnects for same

A microelectromechanical systems device having an electrical interconnect between circuitry outside the device and at least one of an electrode and a movable layer within the device. At least a portion of the electrical interconnect is formed from the same material as a conductive layer between the electrode and a mechanical layer of the device. In an embodiment, this conductive layer is a sacrificial layer that is subsequently removed to form a cavity between the electrode and the movable layer. The sacrificial layer is preferably formed of molybdenum, doped silicon, tungsten, or titanium. According to another embodiment, the conductive layer is a movable reflective layer that preferably comprises aluminum.