Patent ID: 7508569

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of micro-mechanical devices, each comprising: a first structure portion over a substrate; a second structure portion connected to the first structure portion, wherein the second structure portion comprises a conductive portion and is configured to move in response to a voltage pulse and a bias voltage; and an electrode over the substrate and under the conductive portion of the second structure portion; a first electric circuit configured to apply the voltage pulse having a pulse amplitude either to the electrode or the second structure portion of at least one micro-mechanical device of the plurality of micro-mechanical devices; and a second electric circuit configured to apply the bias voltage to the plurality of micro-mechanical devices, wherein the bias voltage is applied to whichever of the electrode or the second structure portion of the at least one micro-mechanical device does not have the voltage pulse applied thereto in the step of applying the voltage pulse; wherein at least two micro-mechanical devices of the plurality of micro-mechanical devices have different threshold amplitudes, each threshold amplitude being a minimum voltage of the voltage pulse required to move the second structure portion in conjunction with the bias voltage and the bias voltage and the voltage pulse having the pulse amplitude are capable of moving the second structure portion of the micro-mechanical device that has the higher threshold amplitude of the different threshold amplitudes.