Semiconductor chips and systems having phase-change material (PCM) switches integrated with micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) and/or resonators
First Claim
1. A semiconductor chip comprising:
- a substrate;
a resonator and/or a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS);
a phase-change material (PCM) switch comprising;
a heating element;
a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material over said heating element;
a PCM situated over said thermally conductive and electrically insulating material;
PCM contacts connected to passive segments of said PCM;
said heating element transverse to said PCM and approximately defining an active segment of said PCM;
one of said PCM contacts of said PCM switch electrically connected to said resonator and/or said MEMS in said semiconductor chip;
said PCM switch configured to engage or disengage said resonator and/or said MEMS.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor chip or system, such as a multi-chip module (MCM), a system-in-package (SiP), and/or a printed circuit board (PCB) module, includes a substrate, a resonator and/or a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS), and a phase-change material (PCM) switch. The PCM switch includes a hearing element, a PCM situated over the heating element, and PCM contacts connected to passive segments of the PCM. The heating element is transverse to the PCM and approximately defines an active segment of the PCM. The PCM contacts are electrically connected to the resonator and/or the MEMS in a shared routing region of the semiconductor chip. The PCM switch is configured to engage or disengage the resonator and/or the MEMS. In one approach, a plurality of PCM switches are capable of reconfiguring an array of resonators and/or an array of MEMS. In another approach, a redundant PCM switch is electrically connected to a redundant resonator and/or a redundant MEMS.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A semiconductor chip comprising:
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a substrate; a resonator and/or a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS); a phase-change material (PCM) switch comprising; a heating element; a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material over said heating element; a PCM situated over said thermally conductive and electrically insulating material; PCM contacts connected to passive segments of said PCM; said heating element transverse to said PCM and approximately defining an active segment of said PCM; one of said PCM contacts of said PCM switch electrically connected to said resonator and/or said MEMS in said semiconductor chip; said PCM switch configured to engage or disengage said resonator and/or said MEMS. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A semiconductor chip comprising:
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a substrate; an array of resonators and/or an array of micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS); a plurality of phase-change material (PCM) switches, each comprising; a heating element; a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material over said heating element; a PCM situated over said thermally conductive and electrically insulating material; PCM contacts connected to passive segments of said PCM; said heating element transverse to said PCM and approximately defining an active segment of said PCM; each of said plurality of PCM switches electrically connected to a resonator in said array of resonators and/or to a MEMS in said array of MEMS; said plurality of PCM switches capable of reconfiguring said array of resonators and/or said array of MEMS. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A semiconductor chip comprising:
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a substrate; a primary resonator and/or a primary micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS); a redundant resonator and/or a redundant micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS); a primary and a redundant phase-change material (PCM) switch, each comprising; a heating element; a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material over said heating element; a PCM situated over said thermally conductive and electrically insulating material; PCM contacts connected to passive segments of said PCM; said heating element transverse to said PCM and approximately defining an active segment of said PCM; on of said PCM contacts of said primary PCM switch electrically connected to said primary resonator and/or said primary MEMS; one of said PCM contacts of said redundant PCM switch electrically connected to said redundant resonator and/or said redundant MEMS. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification