Metal contact RF MEMS single pole double throw latching switch

• US 7,280,015 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Hsu, Hui-Pin, Schaffner, James H., Hsu, Tsung-Yuan, Schmitz, Adele E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rojas; Bernard
• Application Number:
  US11/006,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 335/78, 200/181
• US Class Current: 335/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0047 operable only by mechanical latching
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2059/0054 Rocking contacts or actuating members
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics

Abstract

Apparatus for a micro-electro-mechanical switch that provides single pole, double throw switching action. The switch has two input lines and two output lines. The switch has a seesaw cantilever arm with contacts at each end that electrically connect the input lines with the output lines. The cantilever arm is latched into position by frictional forces between structures on the cantilever arm and structures on the substrate in which the cantilever arm is disposed. The state of the switch is changed by applying an electrostatic force at one end of the cantilever arm to overcome the mechanical force holding the other end of the cantilever arm in place.

Claims

1. A switch comprising

a substrate;

a first substrate bias electrode disposed on the substrate;

a second substrate bias electrode disposed on the substrate; and

a cantilever structure comprising;

a cantilever anchor disposed on the substrate;

a first cantilever arm projecting from the cantilever anchor and over the first substrate bias electrode, wherein the first cantilever arm has a first armature electrode layer;

a second cantilever arm projecting from the cantilever anchor and over the second substrate bias electrode, wherein the second cantilever arm hits a second armature electrode layer,

wherein the first cantilever arm has at least one first cantilever arm structure adapted to mechanically hold the first cantilever arm against the first substrate bias electrode after a first voltage or current is applied to the first substrate bias electrode and/or the second cantilever arm has at least one second cantilever arm structure adapted to mechanically hold the second cantilever arm against the second substrate bias electrode after a second voltage or current is applied to the second substrate bias electrode.

2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the cantilever structure is configured such that when the first cantilever arm is in a closed position, the second cantilever arm is in an open position, and when the second cantilever arm is in a closed position, the first cantilever arm is in an open position.

3. The switch according to claim 2, wherein the cantilever structure is configured such that a first mechanical force holding the first cantilever arm against the first substrate bias electrode is less than a second electrostatic force attracting the second cantilever arm to the second substrate bias electrode when the second voltage or current is applied and a second mechanical force holding the second cantilever arm against the second substrate bias electrode is less than a first electrostatic force attracting the first cantilever arm to the first substrate bias electrode when the first voltage or current is applied.

4. The switch according to claim 1 wherein the first armature electrode layer and the second armature electrode layer comprise a single armature electrode layer and the cantilever structure comprises a first beam structural layer disposed beneath the single armature electrode layer, and at least one first cantilever arm structure comprises a first recess disposed in the first beam structural layer, the first recess adapted to form a lid over the first substrate bias electrode and/or at least one second cantilever arm structure comprises a second recess disposed in the first beam structural layer, the second recess adapted to form a lid over the second substrate bias electrode.

5. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the switch further comprises:

a first input line disposed on the substrate;

a first output line disposed on the substrate;

a second input line disposed on the substrate;

a second output line disposed on the substrate and spaced from the second input line by a second gap;

a first contact, the first contact disposed on the first cantilever arm to electrically connect the first input line to the first output line when the first cantilever arm is held against the first substrate bias electrode; and

a second contact, the second contact disposed on the second cantilever arm to electrically connect the second input line to the second output line when the second cantilever arm is held against the second substrate bias electrode.

6. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the cantilever structure comprises:

a first beam structural layer;

an armature electrode layer including the first armature electrode layer and the second armature electrode layer; and

a second beam structural layer,

wherein the armature electrode layer is disposed between the first beam structural layer and the second beam structural layer.

7. The switch according to claim 6, wherein the first beam structural layer and/or the second beam structural layer comprise silicon nitride.

8. A method of single pole double throw switching comprising:

providing a seesaw cantilever structure on a substrate, the seesaw cantilever structure being disposed above the substrate and said seesaw cantilever structure comprising;

a beam structural layer having a first end and a second end;

an armature electrode layer disposed above said beam structural layer;

a first contact disposed at or near the first end of the beam structural layer and electrically isolated from the arm electrode layer;

a second contact disposed at or near the second end of the beam structural layer and electrically isolated from the arm electrode layer

a flexible portion anchoring the beam structural layer to the substrate at or around a midpoint of the beam structural layer,

selectably applying a first voltage or current to a first substrate electrode or a second voltage or current to a second substrate electrode, wherein the first substrate electrode is disposed beneath the seesaw cantilever structure at a point between the midpoint and the first end of the beam structural layer and the second substrate electrode is disposed beneath the seesaw cantilever structure at a point between the midpoint and the second end of the beam structural layer,

wherein when the first voltage or current is selectably applied, the method comprises;

attracting the first end of the beam structural layer towards the substrate; and

mechanically holding the beam structural layer on the first substrate electrode with one or more structures disposed on the beam structural layer

providing an electrical contact between a first input line and a first output line with the first contact, and

wherein when the second voltage or current is selectably applied, the method comprises;

attracting the second end of the beam structural layer towards the substrate; and

mechanically holding the beam structural layer on the second substrate electrode with one or more structures disposed on the beam structural layer; and

providing an electrical contact between a second input line and a second output line with the second contact.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the beam structural layer is configured to transfer stress from one end to another end, and if the beam structural layer is held on the first substrate electrode, the method further comprises:

applying the second voltage or curt to attract the beam structural layer towards the second substrate electrode with a force greater than a force mechanically holding the beam structure layer against the first substrate electrode, and

if the beam structural layer is held on the second substrate electrode, the method further comprises;

applying the first voltage or current to attract the beam structural layer towards the first substrate electrode with a force greater than a force mechanically holding the beam structure layer against the second substrate electrode.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the seesaw cantilever structure further comprises an upper beam structural layer disposed above the armature electrode layer.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the seesaw cantilever structure is configured such that when the first end of the beam structural layer is attracted towards the substrate, the second end of the beam structural layer moves away from the substrate, and when the second end of the beam structural layer is attracted towards the substrate, the first end of the beam structural layer moves away from the substrate.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the seesaw cantilever structure is configured such that a first mechanical force holding the beam structural layer on the first substrate electrode is less than a second electrostatic force attracting the second end of the beam structural layer towards the substrate when the second voltage or current is applied and a second mechanical force holding the beam structural layer on the second substrate bias electrode is less than a first electrostatic force attracting the first end of the beam structural layer towards the substrate when the first voltage or current is applied.

13. A switch comprising:

a substrate;

a seesaw cantilever structure having a first end and a second end;

means for attracting a first end of the seesaw cantilever structure towards the substrate;

means for mechanically holding the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure on the substrate;

means for attracting a second end of the seesaw cantilever structure towards the substrate; and

,

means for mechanically holding the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure on the substrate.

14. The switch according to claim 13, wherein the switch further comprises:

a first electrical line disposed at or near the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure, the first electrical line having a gap electrically isolating one end of the first electrical line from another end of the first electrical line;

a second electrical line disposed at or near the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure, the second electrical line having a gap electrically isolating one end of the second electrical line from another end of the second electrical line;

first means for providing an electrical connection across the gap in the first electrical line; and

second means for providing an electrical connection across the gap in the second electrical line.

15. The switch according to claim 13, wherein the means for attracting a first end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises means for providing a first electrostatic attractive force between the substrate and the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure and the means for attracting a second end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises means for providing a second electrostatic attractive force between the substrate and the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure.

16. The switch according to claim 15, wherein the means for providing a first electrostatic attractive force comprises:

a first bias substrate electrode disposed on the substrate; and

a first armature electrode layer disposed in the seesaw cantilever structure, and the means for providing a second electrostatic attractive force comprises;

a second bias substrate electrode disposed on the substrate; and

a second armature electrode layer disposed in the seesaw cantilever structure, and wherein the means for mechanically holding the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises a first recess disposed at or near the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure, wherein the first recess fits around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the first bias substrate electrode, and the means for mechanically holding the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises a second recess disposed at or near the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure, wherein the second recess fits around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the second bias substrate electrode.

17. The switch according to claim 13 further comprising means for pivoting the cantilever structure, wherein the means pivots the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure away from the substrate when the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure is attracted towards the substrate and the means pivots the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure away from the substrate when the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure is attracted towards the substrate.

18. A switch comprising:

a substrate;

a seesaw cantilever structure having a first end and a second end;

means for attracting a first end of the seesaw cantilever structure towards the substrate;

means for mechanically holding the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure on or above the substrate;

means for attracting a second end of the seesaw cantilever structure towards the substrate; and

,

means for mechanically holding the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure on or above the substrate,

wherein the means for attracting a first end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises means for providing a first electrostatic attractive force between the substrate and the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure and the means for attracting a second end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises means for providing a second electrostatic attractive force between the substrate and the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure, and

wherein the means for providing a first electrostatic attractive force comprises;

a first bias substrate electrode disposed on the substrate; and

a first armature electrode layer disposed in the seesaw cantilever structure, and the means for providing a second electrostatic attractive force comprises;

a second bias substrate electrode disposed on the substrate; and

a second armature electrode layer disposed in the seesaw cantilever structure, and wherein the means for mechanically holding the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises a first recess disposed at or near the first end of the seesaw cantilever structure, wherein the first recess fits around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the first bias substrate electrode, and the means for mechanically holding the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure comprises a second recess disposed at or near the second end of the seesaw cantilever structure, wherein the second recess fits around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the second bias substrate electrode.