Liquid metal switch employing an electrically isolated control element

• US 7,183,509 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Beerling, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOMZA, LISA NHUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/391,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20060249361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 200181-194, 200/214, 200/229, 200/233
• US Class Current: 200/181
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2029/008 using micromechanics, e.g. micromechanical liquid contact switches or [LIMMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 29/00 Switches having at least one liquid contact solid contacts wetted or soaked with mercury H01H1/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics

Abstract

A switch comprises a first switch element configured to actuate by electrowetting, the first switch element comprising at least two radio frequency contacts and at least two control electrodes. The switch also comprises at least two additional switch elements configured to make and break an electrical connection between the at least two control electrodes of the first switch element.

Claims

1. A switch, comprising:

a first switch element comprising at least two electrical contacts and at least two control electrodes; and

at least two additional switch elements configured to make and break an electrical connection between the at least two control electrodes of the first switch element.

2. The switch of claim 1, in which the electrical connection comprises control lines configured to actuate the first switch element.

3. The switch of claim 2, in which the at least two additional switch elements isolate at least one of the at least two electrical contacts from the control lines.

4. The switch of claim 3, in which the at least two additional switch elements actuate by electrowetting and translate in respective cavities.

5. The switch of claim 4, in which the first switch element is a single pole double throw switch.

6. The switch of claim 4, in which the at least two additional switch elements are single pole single throw switches.

7. The switch of claim 4, in which the first switch element and the at least two additional switch elements are two position switches that latch.

8. A method for operating a switch, comprising:

supplying an actuating signal to at least two switch elements to electrically connect electrodes of an additional switch element to respective control lines;

supplying an actuating signal to the additional switch element to cause the additional switch element to change state;

supplying an actuating signal to the at least two switch elements to disconnect the electrodes of the additional switch element from the respective control lines; and

isolating electrically electrical contacts of the additional switch element from the respective control lines.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising translating a droplet of conductive liquid through a respective cavity to contact the control lines.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising translating a droplet of conductive liquid through a respective cavity to electrically decouple the control lines from the electrical contacts of the additional switch element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least two switch elements and the additional switch element latch.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising removing the actuating signal from the at least two switch elements and the additional switch element after the switch elements latch.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising switching a high frequency signal through the additional switch element.

14. A switch, comprising:

a first switch element comprising at least two electrical contacts and at least two electrodes; and

at least two additional switch elements configured to make and break an electrical connection between each of the at least two electrodes and respective control lines associated with the at least two electrodes.

15. The switch of claim 14, in which the at least two additional switch elements are configured to isolate at least one of the at least two electrical contacts from the control lines.

16. The switch of claim 15, in which the at least two additional switch elements translate in respective cavities to isolate at least one of the at least two electrical contacts from the control lines.

17. The switch of claim 16, in which the first switch element is a single pole double throw switch.

18. The switch of claim 16, in which the at least two additional switch elements are single pole single throw switches.

19. The switch of claim 16, in which the first switch element and the at least two additional switch elements are two position switches that latch.

20. The switch of claim 16, in which the first switch element and the at least two additional switch elements are configured to actuate by electrowetting.