Micro-electromechanical switch, method of manufacturing an integrated circuit including at least one such switch, and an integrated circuit
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit comprising circuit components and including at least one micro-electromechanical switch, said at least one switch comprising an actuator electrode, at least one contact electrode and a displaceable conductive element, whereby the displaceable conductive element is arranged so that it can be selectively displaced, according to the state of said actuator electrode, between an open state position in which it is not in contact with said at least one contact electrode, and a closed state position in which it is substantially in contact with said at least one contact electrode and in which the switch is in a closed state;
- wherein said switch comprises a layered structure comprising at least three conductive layers) at least some portions of which are separated by dielectric material, wherein said at least one actuator electrode is formed out of at least a part of a first one of said conductive layers;
said at least one contact electrode is formed out of a second one of said conductive layers;
said displaceable conductive element is formed out of a third one of said conductive layers; and
said integrated circuit, including said circuit components and said at least one switch, has been obtained by a CMOS process including deposition of subsequent conductive layers separated by dielectric material and shaped so as to define, at least, said first actuator electrode, said at least one contact electrode and said displaceable conductive element.
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Abstract
Integrated circuit obtained by a CMOS process and comprising circuit components and at least one micro-electromechanical switch comprising a layered structure, comprising an actuator electrode corresponding to a first conductive layer, at least one contact electrode corresponding to a second conductive layer, and a displaceable conductive element corresponding to a third conductive layer. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit including said switch, and to a circuit incorporating the switch.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit comprising circuit components and including at least one micro-electromechanical switch, said at least one switch comprising an actuator electrode, at least one contact electrode and a displaceable conductive element, whereby the displaceable conductive element is arranged so that it can be selectively displaced, according to the state of said actuator electrode, between an open state position in which it is not in contact with said at least one contact electrode, and a closed state position in which it is substantially in contact with said at least one contact electrode and in which the switch is in a closed state;
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wherein said switch comprises a layered structure comprising at least three conductive layers) at least some portions of which are separated by dielectric material, wherein said at least one actuator electrode is formed out of at least a part of a first one of said conductive layers;
said at least one contact electrode is formed out of a second one of said conductive layers;
said displaceable conductive element is formed out of a third one of said conductive layers; and
said integrated circuit, including said circuit components and said at least one switch, has been obtained by a CMOS process including deposition of subsequent conductive layers separated by dielectric material and shaped so as to define, at least, said first actuator electrode, said at least one contact electrode and said displaceable conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising circuit components and at least one micro-electromechanical switch, said switch comprising an actuator electrode, at least one contact electrode and a displaceable conductive element, whereby the displaceable conductive element is arranged so that it can be selectively displaced, according to the state of said actuator electrode, between an open state position in which it is not in contact with said at least one contact electrode, and a closed state position in which it is substantially in contact with said at least one contact electrode and in which the switch is in a closed state;
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wherein the method comprises the steps of;
sequentially applying, on a substrate, subsequent conductive layers substantially separated by dielectric material and selectively removing parts of said conductive layers so as to provide a layered structure comprising at least three conductive layers at least some portions of which are separated by dielectric material, whereby said subsequent conductive layers are applied so that a first one of said conductive layers establishes said at least one actuator electrode, a second one of said conductive layers establishes said at least one contact electrode, and a third one of said conductive layers establishes said displaceable conductive element;
removing part of the dielectric material so as to make said displaceable conductive element displaceable at least with regard to said at least one contact electrode, so that said displaceable conductive element can be selectively displaced, according to the state of said actuator electrode, between an open state position in which it is not in contact with said at least one contact electrode, and a closed state position in which it is substantially in contact with said at least one contact electrode and in which the switch is in a closed state;
wherein the method is a CMOS process including steps for establishing said circuit components and further involving deposition of subsequent conductive layers so as to define, at least, said first actuator electrode, said at least one contact electrode and said displaceable conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification