MEMS switch with improved standoff voltage control

• US 7,692,519 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Premerlani, William James, Keimel, Christopher Fred, Wang, Xuefeng, Aimi, Marco Francesco, Subramanian, Kanakasabapathi
• Primary Examiner(s): Takaoka; Dean O
• Application Number:
  US11/962,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 333/101, 333/103, 333/104, 333/105, 333/262
• US Class Current: 333/262
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/0036 Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics

Abstract

A MEMS switch is provided including a substrate, a movable actuator coupled to the substrate and having a first side and a second side, a first fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the first side of the movable actuator to generate a first actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward a conduction state, and a second fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the second side of the movable actuator to generate a second actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward a non-conducting state.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate;

a movable actuator coupled to the substrate and having a first side and a second side, the moveable actuator being configured such that a stiffness of the movable actuator causes the movable actuator to move from a conduction state to a non-conducting state in the absence of external forces;

a first fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the first side of the movable actuator to generate a first actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward the conduction state; and

a second fixed electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the second side of the movable actuator to generate a second actuation force to pull the movable actuator toward the non-conducting state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein second fixed electrode is positioned above the first fixed electrode.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein second fixed electrode is coupled to the substrate at least two locations.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the movable actuator is stationary in the non-conducting state.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second fixed control electrode is positioned over the movable actuator and is coupled to the substrate at more than one location on the substrate.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an isolator positioned above the movable actuator to prevent the movable actuator from making contact with the second fixed control electrode.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fixed contact mechanically coupled to the substrate and electrically coupled to a load circuit.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second actuation force is greater than the first actuation force.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the movable actuator is separated from the first fixed electrode by a first distance and the movable actuator is separated from the second electrode by a second distance.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the movable actuator overlaps the first fixed electrode by a first area and the movable actuator overlaps the second electrode by a second area.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the second area is greater than the first area.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the fixed contact and the second fixed control electrodes are electrically coupled.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising an isolator positioned above the movable actuator to prevent the movable actuator from making contact with the second fixed control electrode.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the movable actuator is conductive.

16. A method comprising:

forming a first fixed control electrode and a fixed contact on an insulating layer on a substrate;

forming a movable actuator on the insulating layer such that the movable actuator overhangs the first fixed control electrode and the contact;

forming a second fixed control electrode on the insulating layer and overhanging the movable actuator; and

releasing the movable actuator to allow the actuator to be pulled toward a first conduction state with the contact in response to a first actuation force generated between the first fixed control electrode and the movable actuator, to be pulled toward a second non-conducting state in response to a second actuation force generated between the second fixed control electrode and the movable actuator, and to move from the conduction state to the non-conducting state in the absence of external forces due to a stiffness of the movable actuator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the movable actuator is stationary in the non-conducting state.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second fixed control electrode overhangs the contact.

19. A MEMS switch array comprising:

a substrate;

a first movable actuator coupled to the substrate and having a top side and a bottom side;

a second movable actuator coupled to the substrate and having a top side and a bottom side;

a first fixed control electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the bottom side of the first and second movable actuators to generate a first actuation force to pull the movable actuators toward a conduction state; and

a second fixed control electrode coupled to the substrate and positioned on the top side of the first and second movable actuators to generate a second actuation force to pull the movable actuators toward a non-conducting state.

20. The MEMS switch array of claim 19, wherein the first and second movable actuators are stationary in the non-conducting state.