Substrate with liquid electrode

• US 6,891,116 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wong, Marvin Glenn, Dove, Lewis R., Saito, Mitsuchika
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLAUS, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/414,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20040200706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 200/61.47, 200/182, 200187-193, 200/197, 200/199, 200/214, 200/221, 200/222, 200/236, 200226-229, 200/239
• US Class Current: 200/182
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2029/008 using micromechanics, e.g. micromechanical liquid contact switches or [LIMMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/28 with level of surface of contact liquid displaced by fluid pressure

Abstract

A substrate, a method for producing a substrate, and a switch incorporating a substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, the substrate has a first layer, a first electrode deposited on the first layer, and a second layer mated to the first layer. The second layer defines a duct leading from the first electrode to a surface of the second layer opposite the first electrode. A liquid electrode fills at least a portion of the duct.

Claims

1. A substrate comprising:

a first layer;

a first electrode deposited on the first layer;

a second layer mated to the first layer, the second layer defining a duct leading from the first electrode to a surface of the second layer that is opposite the first electrode; and

a liquid electrode filling at least a portion of the duct.

2. The substrate of claim 1, wherein an opening of the duct at the first electrode is wider than an opening of the duct at the surface of the second layer.

3. The substrate of claim 2, wherein the duct comprises a bell shape.

4. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the second layer of the substrate comprises an indentation at an opening of the duct at the surface of the second layer, the indentation having a diameter that is larger than that of the duct at the surface of the second layer.

5. The substrate of claim 4, further comprising a wettable material lining walls of the indentation.

6. The substrate of claim 1, further comprising a wettable material lining walls of the duct.

7. The substrate of claim 6, wherein the second layer comprises glass and the wettable material comprises metal.

8. The substrate of claim 6, wherein the second layer comprises ceramic and the wettable material comprises metal.

9. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a solid electrode.

10. The substrate of claim 1, further comprising a third layer mated to the second layer, the third layer defining an extension of the duct leading from the surface of the second layer to an opposite surface of the third layer, the extension of the duct being narrower than the duct.

11. A substrate produced by:

depositing a first electrode on a first layer;

depositing a liquid electrode on the first electrode;

aligning a duct in a second layer with the first electrode on the first layer; and

mating the second layer to the first layer, forcing the liquid electrode through the duct.

12. The substrate of claim 11, further comprising:

aligning a smaller diameter duct in a third layer with the duct in the second layer; and

mating the third layer to the second layer prior to mating the second layer to the first layer.

13. The substrate of claim 11, wherein the second layer comprises glass.

14. The substrate of claim 11, wherein the second layer comprises ceramic.

15. A switch comprising:

a first substrate having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a plurality of electrodes deposited thereon, and the second layer defining a number of ducts;

a second substrate mated to the first substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities, each duct of the second layer leading from at least one of the cavities to one of the plurality of electrodes deposited on the first layer;

a switching fluid, held within one or more of the ducts and one or more of the cavities, at least a portion of which is movable to open and close at least a pair of the plurality of electrodes in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid; and

an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to the switching fluid.

16. The switch of claim 15, wherein at least one of the ducts defined by the second layer is defined so that a portion of the switching fluid remains in the duct when the forces are applied to the switching fluid to close pairs of the electrodes.

17. The switch of claim 15, wherein at least one of the ducts defined by the second layer is defined so that an opening of the duct at one of the electrodes is wider than an opening of the duct at one of the cavities.

19. The switch of claim 15, wherein the second layer comprises an indentation at an opening of the duct at the surface of the second layer, the indentation having a diameter that is larger than that of the duct at the surface of the second layer.

20. The switch of claim 19, further comprising a wettable material lining walls of the indentation.

22. The switch of claim 15, wherein the second layer comprises ceramic.

23. The switch of claim 15, further comprising a wettable material lining walls of the duct.

24. The switch of claim 23, wherein the second layer comprises glass and the wettable material comprises metal.

25. The switch of claim 23, wherein the second layer comprises ceramic and the wettable material comprises metal.

26. The switch of claim 15, wherein the first substrate further comprises a third layer mated to the second layer, the third layer defining an extension of the duct leading from the surface of the second layer to an opposite surface of the third layer, the extension of the duct being narrower than the duct.

18. The switch of 15, wherein the second layer comprises an indentation at shape.

21. The switch of 15, wherein the second layer comprises glass.