Method of fabricating an RF MEMS switch with spring-loaded latching mechanism

• US 7,653,985 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.), The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schmitz, Adele E., Schaffner, James H., Hsu, Tsung-Yuan, Chang, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Thiem
• Application Number:
  US11/823,443
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 296/22, 298/25, 298/46, 298/74, 200/181, 200/244, 200/253.1, 333/78, 333/105, 333/262, 335/78
• US Class Current: 29/622
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0068 with multi dimensional movement, i.e. the movable actuator performing movements in at least two different directions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for fabricating a micro-electro-mechanical switch. The switch has a cantilever arm disposed on a substrate that can be moved in orthogonal directions for latching and unlatching. For latching, the cantilever arm is moved back by a comb-drive actuator and then pulled down by electrodes disposed on the substrate and the cantilever arm. The comb-drive actuator switch is then released and the cantilever arm moves forward to be captured by a dove-tail structure on the substrate. When the voltage is removed, the cantilever arm is held in place by the dove-tail structure. The switch is unlatched by actuating the comb-drive actuator to move the cantilever arm away from the dove-tail structure. The cantilever arm will then pop up once it is released from the dove-tail structure.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a switch comprising:

providing a substrate;

etching one or more recesses in the substrate;

depositing first conductive material on the substrate;

depositing a support layer on the first conductive material and the substrate;

depositing a first beam structural layer on the support layer;

etching one or more portions of the first beam structural layer and the support layer down to one or more portions of the first conductive material to form recesses for vias, comb actuator posts, and switch anchor posts;

etching at least one other portion of the first beam structural layer to provide a tip recess;

depositing second conductive material on portions of the first beam structural layer, in the vias, and in the tip recess;

depositing a second beam structural layer on the first beam structural layer and on at least some portions of the second conductive material; and

removing the support layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein depositing second conductive material comprises depositing a first portion of the second conductive material at a first thickness on first portions of the first beam structural layer and depositing a second portion of the second conductive material at a second thickness on second portions of the first beam structural layer.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first thickness is smaller than the second thickness.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive material comprises a 900 angstrom layer of gold germanium, a 100 angstrom layer of nickel, and a 1500 angstrom layer of gold.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a first contact receptacle and forming a second contact receptacle by etching the first beam structural layer to form openings in the first beam structural layer and partially etching a portion of the support layer in the regions defined by the openings in the first beam structural layer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive material comprises a 200 angstrom layer of titanium and a 1000 angstrom layer of gold.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support layer comprises silicon dioxide.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein removing the support layer comprises wet etching with hydrofluoric acid.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first beam structural layer and/or the second beam structural layer comprise silicon nitride.