Micro-electro-mechanical device and method of making

• US 6,794,101 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mercado, Lei, Kuo, Shun-Meen, Liu, Lianjun, Huang, Jenn-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): GHYKA, ALEXANDER G
• Application Number:
  US10/159,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20030224267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 430/48, 430/50, 430/52
• US Class Current: 430/48
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0084 with perpendicular movement of the movable contact relative to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/127 Strip line switches

Abstract

A micro-electro-mechanical device (10) including a shorting bar (40) having a first portion (42) electrically coupled to a first input/output signal line (34) and a second portion (43) electrically uncoupled to a second input/output signal line (36). Shorting bar (40) is coupled to a moveable end (49) of a cantilever structure (44). Thus, preferably only the second portion (43) of shorting bar (40) needs to be actuated to be electrically coupled to the second input/output signal line (36).

Claims

1. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion,

wherein;

the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer;

the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer; and

the shorting bar does not comprise an insulating material.

2. The micro-electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the cantilever structure has at least a two finger pattern.

8. The micro-electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the shorting bar is symmetrical across a width of the cantilever structure.

10. The micro-electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the shorting bar assists in suspending the second end of the cantilever structure over the substrate.

11. The micro-electra-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the cantilever structure has a length substantially parallel to a length of the shorting bar.

12. The micro-electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the shorting bar extends in a direction approximately parallel to a direction of the cantilever structure, where the direction of the cantilever structure is measured between the first end and the second end of the cantilever structure.

13. The micro-electro-mechanical device of claim 1 wherein the shorting bar extends in a direction approximately 90 degrees from a direction of the cantilever structure, where the direction of the cantilever structure is measured between the first end and the second end of the cantilever structure.

3. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer,

wherein the cantilever structure has less mass at a first side of the cantilever structure than at a second side of the cantilever structure, the first side of the cantilever structure closer to the first conductive layer than the second side of the cantilever structure.

4. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer; and

a third conductive layer over the cantilever structure and covering more area at a first side of the cantilever structure than at a second side of the cantilever structure, the first side of the cantilever structure closer to the first conductive layer than the second side of the cantilever structure.

5. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer,

wherein the cantilever structure has first and second fingers over the second conductive layer, the first finger closer to the first conductive layer than the second finger and narrower than the second finger.

6. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer,

wherein the cantilever structure has less mass at a first side of the cantilever structure than at a second side of the cantilever structure, the first side closer to the first conductive layer than the second side.

7. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer,

wherein a third portion of shorting bar is anchored to the substrate, the second portion of the shorting bar located between the first and third portions of the shorting bar.

9. A micro-electro-mechanical device comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive layer over the substrate;

a second conductive layer over the substrate and separated from the first conductive layer;

a cantilever structure over the substrate, wherein the cantilever structure has a first end anchored to the substrate and a second end suspended over the substrate; and

a shorting bar adjacent to the cantilever structure, wherein the shorting bar has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion is anchored to and electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second portion overlies and is removably electrically coupled to the second conductive layer,

wherein the shorting bar is asymmetric across a width of the cantilever structure.