Liquid metal micro switches using as channels and heater cavities matching patterned thick film dielectric layers on opposing thin ceramic plates

• US 6,777,630 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Carson, Paul Thomas, Wong, Marvin Glenn, Dove, Lewis R, Casey, John F
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US10/426,449
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 200/182, 200/187-189, 200/209-210, 200/233-236, 310/328, 310/331, 310/348, 310/363, 335/4, 335/47, 335/78, 385/19
• US Class Current: 200/182
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2029/008 using micromechanics, e.g. micromechanical liquid contact switches or [LIMMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2061/006 Micromechanical thermal relay
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/28 with level of surface of contact liquid displaced by fluid pressure

Abstract

An efficient way to fabricate the channels and cavities in a LIMMS device is to form them as matching upper and lower portions each created as a patterned layer of thick film dielectric material deposited on a respective upper or lower substrate. The two portions are adhered together by a patterned layer of adhesive, and hermetically sealed around an outer perimeter. The heater resistors are mounted atop the lower layer, thus suspending them away from that substrate and exposing more of their surface area. Vias can be used to route the conductors for the heaters and the switched signal contacts through the lower substrate to cooperate with surface mount techniques using solder balls on an array of contact pads. These vias can be made hermetic by their placement within the patterned layers of dielectric material and by covering their exposed ends with pads of hermetic metal. Suitable thick film dielectric materials that may be deposited as a paste and subsequently cured include the KQ 150 and KQ 115 thick film dielectrics from Heracus and the 4141A/D thick film compositions from DuPont.

Claims

1. An electrical switching assembly comprising:

a first non-conductive substrate having first and second surfaces;

a first layer of dielectric material deposited upon the first surface of the first non-conductive substrate and patterned to create heater cavities, a liquid metal channel and passages connecting the heater cavities to locations along the liquid metal channel;

a second non-conductive substrate having a first surface;

a second layer of dielectric material deposited upon the first surface of the second non-conductive substrate and patterned to match at least the heater cavities of the first layer of dielectric material;

a layer of adhesive deposited on the second layer of dielectric material and patterned to match the pattern of the first layer of dielectric material; and

the surfaces of first and second non-conducting substrates facing each other and being brought into contact through the intervening first and second layers of dielectric material and the layer of adhesive.

2. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second non-conductive substrates is of glass.

3. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second non-conductive substrates is of ceramic.

4. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 1 further comprising conductive vias through the first non-conductive substrate and first layer of dielectric material, an end of each conductive via being within the heater cavity.

5. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 4 further comprising pads inside the heater cavity that cover the vias and a heater resistor suspended between the pads.

6. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 4 further comprising conductive vias through the first non-conductive substrate and first layer of dielectric material, an end of each conductive via being within the liquid metal channel.

7. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 1 wherein the first and second layers of dielectric material are deposited with thick film techniques.

8. An electrical switching assembly comprising:

a first non-conductive substrate having first and second surfaces;

a layer of dielectric material deposited upon the first surface of the first non-conductive substrate and patterned to create heater cavities, a liquid metal channel and passages connecting the heater cavities to locations along the liquid metal channel;

a second non-conductive substrate having a first surface patterned to match at least the heater cavities of the first layer of dielectric material;

a layer of adhesive deposited on the first surface of the second non-conductive substrate and patterned to match the pattern of the layer of dielectric material; and

the surfaces of first and second non-conducting substrates facing each other and being brought into contact through the intervening layer of dielectric material and the layer of adhesive.

9. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 8 wherein at least one of the first and second non-conductive substrates is of glass.

10. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 8 wherein at least one of the first and second non-conductive substrates is of ceramic.

11. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 8 further comprising conductive vias through the first non-conductive substrate and first layer of dielectric material, an end of each conductive via being within the heater cavity.

12. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 11 further comprising pads inside the heater cavity that cover the vias and a heater resistor suspended between the pads.

13. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 11 further comprising conductive vias through the first non-conductive substrate and first layer of dielectric material, an end of each conductive via being within the liquid metal channel.

14. An electrical switching assembly as in claim 8 wherein the first and second layers of dielectric material are deposited with thick film techniques.