A MEMS system including a fixed electrode and a suspended moveable electrode
that
is controllable over a wide range of motion. In traditional systems where an fixed
electrode is positioned under the moveable electrode, the range of motion is limited
because the support structure supporting the moveable electrode becomes unstable
when the moveable electrode moves too close to the fixed electrode. By repositioning
the fixed electrode from being directly underneath the moving electrode, a much
wider range of controllable motion is achievable. Wide ranges of controllable motion
are particularly important in optical switching applications.
