Double-throw miniature electromagnetic microwave (MEM) switches

• US 6,310,526 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lap-Sum Yip, Qiu, Cindy Xing, Shih, Yi-Chi
• Original Assignee: Lap-Sum Yip, Qiu, Cindy Xing, Shih, Yi-Chi
• Inventors: Shih, Yi-Chi, Qiu, Cindy Xing, Yip, Lap-Sum
• Primary Examiner(s): Bettendorf, Justin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAKAOKA, DEAN O
• Application Number:
  US09/400,256
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 333/262, 200/181, 216/2, 455/78, 361/233
• US Class Current: 333/262
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2050/007 Relays of the polarised type, e.g. the MEMS relay beam having a preferential magnetisation direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/005 using micromechanics

Abstract

Miniature double-throw microwave switches are disclosed in this invention. In one embodiment a miniature double-throw electromagnetic switch for microstrip transmission lines is provided. A cantilever, which forms a part of an input transmission line, with a permanent magnetic film can be pulled down or pushed up by an applied magnetic field to make electrical contact with either one of two output transmission lines. The applied magnetic field is generated by applying a positive or negative current to a miniature electromagnetic coil mounted under the cantilevers. In another embodiment, a miniature double-throw microwave switch with two cantilevers attached to the input transmission line is disclosed for microstrip transmission lines. The magnetic polarizations of the permanent magnetic films on the two cantilevers are controlled in such a way that when a magnetic field is applied, one cantilever will be pulled downward to make electrical contact to a first output transmission line. When a reverse magnetic field is applied, the second cantilever will be pulled downward to make electrical contact to a second output transmission line. Yet another embodiment of this invention is a multilayer thin film electromagnetic coil where the magnetic fields induced in all layers of the coils aligned in the same direction to form a strong magnetic field with reduced power consumption.

Claims

1. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch comprising;

a first dielectric substrate having at least one input transmission line, a first output transmission line and a second output transmission line deposited on a front surface of said first dielectric substrate for propagating and routing of microwave signals;

a first cantilever connected to said input transmission line and with projection overlapping at least a part of said first output transmission line;

a second cantilever connected to said second output transmission line and with projection overlapping at least a part of said first cantilever;

a permanent magnetic film deposited on a part of a top surface of said first cantilever for actuating said first cantilever;

a conducting ground layer deposited on a back surface of said dielectric substrate;

a dielectric film coated on part of said conducting ground layer; and

a thin film electromagnetic coil on said dielectric film for actuating said first cantilever, center of said thin film electromagnetic coil substantially coincides with center of said magnetic film.

2. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, further comprising means to supply electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said electric current is greater than a pull-down threshold current, to actuate said first cantilever, causing electric connection between said input transmission line and first output transmission line.

3. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, further comprising means to supply a reverse electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said reverse electric current is greater than a push-up threshold current, to actuate said first cantilever, causing electric connection between said input transmission line and second output transmission line.

4. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said first cantilever and second cantilever are selected from a group of a metal membrane, and a dielectric membrane with conducting coatings on both a front surface and a back surface.

5. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said input transmission line and output transmission lines are patterned conducting thin films with thickness between 0.5 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

6. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said permanent magnetic film is prepared by a method selected from a group of electrodeposition and vacuum deposition.

7. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said first cantilever is released by switching off said electric current being supplied to said thin film electromagnetic coil.

8. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said first cantilever is released by supplying an opposing electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said opposing current being substantially smaller than magnitudes of said push-up threshold current and pull-down threshold current.

9. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, further comprising an enhancing magnetic core inserted into a cavity formed in a central region of said thin film electromagnetic coil to decrease magnitudes of said pull-down threshold current and push-up threshold current.

10. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, wherein said second output transmission line is deposited on a second dielectric substrate, said second output transmission line is aligned over said first cantilever to receive microwave signals from said first cantilever.

11. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of adding a second dielectric substrate on top of said switch to form a miniature switch for microwave striplines, said second dielectric substrate having a conducting coating on a front surface.

12. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch comprising;

a first dielectric substrate having at least one input transmission line, a first output transmission line, a second output transmission line for propagating and routing of microwave signals;

a first cantilever having a first permanent magnetic film and connected to a first end of said input transmission line and with projection overlapping at least a part of a first output transmission line, magnetic polarization of said first permanent magnetic film being aligned to a first direction;

a second cantilever having a second permanent magnetic film and connected to a second end of said input transmission line and with projection overlapping at least a part of a second output transmission line, magnetization of said second permanent magnetic film being aligned to a second direction;

a conducting ground layer deposited on back surface of said first dielectric substrate;

a dielectric film coated on part of said conducting ground layer; and

a first thin film electromagnetic coil disposed on said dielectric film for actuating said cantilevers, center region of said thin film electromagnetic coil substantially overlaps with centers of said magnetic films.

13. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, further comprising means to supply a first electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said first electric current is greater than a first pull-down threshold current, to actuate said first cantilever and attract said first cantilever to get in contact with said first output transmission line, to actuate said second cantilever and repel said second cantilever to disconnect contact with said second output transmission line.

14. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, further comprising means to supply a second electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said second electric current is greater than a second pull-down threshold current, to actuate said second cantilever and attract said second cantilever to get in contact with said second output transmission line, to actuate said first cantilever and repel said first cantilever to disconnect contact with said first output transmission line.

15. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, wherein said first cantilever and second cantilever are selected from a group of a metal membrane, a dielectric membrane with a conducting coating on a front surface and a dielectric membrane with a conducting coating on a back surface.

16. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, wherein said input transmission line, first output transmission line and second output transmission line are patterned conducting thin films with thickness between 0.5 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

17. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, wherein method of preparing said permanent magnetic film is selected from a group of electrodeposition and vacuum deposition.

18. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, wherein said first and second cantilevers are released by switching off said electric current being supplied to said thin film electromagnetic coil.

19. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, wherein said first and second cantilevers are released by supplying an opposing electric current to said thin film electromagnetic coil, magnitude of said opposing current being substantially smaller than magnitudes of said first pull-down threshold current and second pull-down threshold current.

20. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, further comprising an enhancing magnetic core inserted into a cavity formed in a central region of said thin film electromagnetic coil to decrease magnitudes of said pull-down threshold current and push-up threshold current.

21. A miniature double-throw electromagnetic microwave switch as defined in claim 12, further comprising a step of adding a second dielectric substrate on top of said switch to form a miniature switch for microwave striplines, said second dielectric substrate having a conducting coating on a front surface.