OVERDRIVE STRUCTURES FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTROSTATIC SWITCH
First Claim
1. A MEMS device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:
- a substrate defining a planar surface;
at least one substrate electrode disposed on the surface of said substrate;
at least one substrate contact attached to said substrate and electrically isolated from said at least one substrate electrode, wherein said at least one substrate contact defines protrusions that extend from a contact surface;
a flexible composite overlying said at least one substrate electrode and having at least one electrode element and at least one biasing element, said flexible composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, and a distal portion movable with respect to said substrate electrode;
at least one flexible composite contact attached to said flexible composite and electrically isolated from said at least one flexible composite electrode element; and
an insulator electrically separating said substrate electrode from said flexible electrode, whereby said at least one flexible composite contact and said at least one substrate contact is electrically connected when said flexible composite distal portion is electrostatically attracted to said substrate.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) electrostatically operated high voltage switch or relay device is provided. These devices can switch high voltages while using relatively low electrostatic operating voltages. The MEMS device comprises a substrate, a substrate electrode, and one or more substrate contacts. The MEMS device also includes a flexible composite overlying the substrate, one or more composite contacts, and at least one insulator. The switch or relay device is provided overdrive potential through protrusions on the contact surface of the switch or relay contacts. In one embodiment the substrate contacts define protrusions on the contact surface that extend toward the flexible composite contacts. In another embodiment the flexible composite contacts define protrusions on the contact surface that extend toward the substrate contacts.
-
Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A MEMS device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:
-
a substrate defining a planar surface;
at least one substrate electrode disposed on the surface of said substrate;
at least one substrate contact attached to said substrate and electrically isolated from said at least one substrate electrode, wherein said at least one substrate contact defines protrusions that extend from a contact surface;
a flexible composite overlying said at least one substrate electrode and having at least one electrode element and at least one biasing element, said flexible composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, and a distal portion movable with respect to said substrate electrode;
at least one flexible composite contact attached to said flexible composite and electrically isolated from said at least one flexible composite electrode element; and
an insulator electrically separating said substrate electrode from said flexible electrode, whereby said at least one flexible composite contact and said at least one substrate contact is electrically connected when said flexible composite distal portion is electrostatically attracted to said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A MEMS device driven by electrostatic forces, comprising:
-
a substrate defining a planar surface;
at least one substrate electrode disposed on the surface of said substrate;
at least one substrate contact attached to said substrate and electrically isolated from said at least one substrate electrode;
a flexible composite overlying said at least one substrate electrode and having at least one electrode element and at least one biasing element, said flexible composite having a fixed portion attached to the underlying substrate, and a distal portion movable with respect to said substrate electrode;
at least one flexible composite contact attached to said flexible composite and electrically isolated from said at least one flexible composite electrode element, wherein said at least one flexible composite contact defines protrusions that extend from a contact surface; and
an insulator electrically separating said substrate electrode from said flexible electrode, whereby said at least one flexible composite contact and said at least one substrate contact is electrically connected when said flexible composite distal portion is electrostatically attracted to said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
-
53. A method of using a MEMS device having a substrate including at least one substrate electrode and at least one substrate contact defining protrusions on a contact surface, and a flexible composite having at least one electrode element, at least one biasing element and at least one flexible composite contact, said flexible composite movable in response to an electrostatic force created between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode layer, the method comprising the steps of:
-
electrically isolating at least one of the substrate contacts or the composite contacts from their respective associated substrate electrodes or composite electrodes, selectively generating an electrostatic force between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least electrode element of said flexible composite;
moving said flexible composite toward the substrate;
electrically connecting the at least one substrate contact and the at least one flexible composite contact in a circuit electrically isolated from at least one of the substrate electrodes or composite electrodes; and
overdriving the at least one substrate contact into the at least one flexible composite contact so as to minimize contact resistance.
-
-
54. A method of using a MEMS device having a substrate including at least one substrate electrode and at least one substrate contact, and a flexible composite having at least one electrode element, at least one biasing element and at least one flexible composite contact defining protrusions on a contact surface, said flexible composite movable in response to an electrostatic force created between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least one electrode layer, the method comprising the steps of:
-
electrically isolating at least one of the substrate contacts or the composite contacts from their respective associated substrate electrodes or composite electrodes, selectively generating an electrostatic force between the at least one substrate electrode and the at least electrode element of said flexible composite;
moving said flexible composite toward the substrate;
electrically connecting the at least one substrate contact and the at least one flexible composite contact in a circuit electrically isolated from at least one of the substrate electrodes or composite electrodes; and
overdriving the at least one flexible composite contact into the at least one substrate composite contact so as to minimize contact resistance.
-
Specification