Patent ID: 8033091

Claim:
A device comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate mounted on the first substrate by at least one pair of elongated solid state hinges, wherein the pair of solid state hinges are substantially aligned to each other in their elongated direction and are opposing to each other from different sides of the second substrate; at least one first elongated electrical conductor extending in a first direction located on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate; and at least one second elongated electrical conductor extending in a second direction, which is the same as the first direction, located on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate; wherein: the pair of solid state hinges are integral with and linking the first and second substrates to relatively locate the first and second substrates such that the surfaces thereof are parallel and a gap therebetween is maintained at about 15 nm or less such that the first and second elongated electrical conductors are opposed to each other at a distance permitting a detectable quantum tunneling current when a suitable electrical potential difference is applied between the first and second elongated electrical conductors; and the at least one pair of solid state hinges are configured to permit a motion of the second substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the first substrate but substantially prohibit a motion of the second substrate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the first substrate.