MEMS switch and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12374506-B2
Application number	US-202218015696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2022
Priority date	Feb 22, 2022
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A MEMS switch includes an insulating substrate, a driving electrode, a first insulating layer, a first surface of the insulating substrate is provided with a first region, the first region is closer to a surface of the insulating substrate away from the first surface, relative to the first surface, and the driving electrode is on the first region; the first insulating layer completely covers the driving electrode; the first signal transmission line is on a surface of the first insulating layer away from the insulating substrate; and the second signal transmission line includes a signal transmission segment and a cantilever segment connected together as a one-piece member, the signal transmission segment is on the first surface of the insulating substrate, and the cantilever segment is suspended on a side of the first signal transmission line away from the insulating substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A MEMS switch, comprising an insulating substrate, a driving electrode, a first insulating layer, a first signal transmission line and a second signal transmission line, wherein a first surface of the insulating substrate is provided with a first region, the first region is closer to a surface of the insulating substrate away from the first surface, relative to the first surface, and the driving electrode is on the first region;
the first insulating layer completely covers the driving electrode;
the first signal transmission line is on a surface of the first insulating layer away from the insulating substrate; and
the second signal transmission line comprises a signal transmission segment and a cantilever segment connected together as a one-piece member, wherein the signal transmission segment is on the first surface of the insulating substrate, and the cantilever segment is suspended on a side of the first signal transmission line away from the insulating substrate.

2. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the signal transmission segment close to the insulating substrate and a surface of the cantilever segment close to the insulating substrate are flush with each other, and a thickness of the signal transmission segment is the same as a thickness of the cantilever segment.

3. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating substrate comprises a glass substrate.

4. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , further comprising a touch point structure on the first region, wherein the first insulating layer completely covers the touch point structure, and an orthographic projection of the first signal transmission line on the first region at least partially covers an orthographic projection of the touch point structure on the first region.

5. The MEMS switch according to claim 4 , wherein the touch point structure and the insulating substrate are connected together as a one-piece member.

6. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , wherein the first insulating layer further covers the first surface of the insulating substrate, a side surface connected between the first region and the first surface, and an exposed region in the first region, and the first insulating layer is on a side of the signal transmission segment close to the insulating substrate; or
the first insulating layer further covers the side surface and the exposed region in the first region; or
the first insulating layer further covers the exposed region in the first region.

7. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , further comprising a second insulating layer disposed on the first region, wherein the driving electrode is on a surface of the second insulating layer away from the insulating substrate; and the first insulating layer is on a side of the second insulating layer away from the insulating substrate.

8. The MEMS switch according to claim 7 , wherein the second insulating layer completely covers the first surface of the insulating substrate, a side surface connected between the first region and the first surface, and the first region, and the second insulating layer is on a side of the signal transmission segment close to the insulating substrate; or
the second insulating layer completely covers the side surface and the first region; or
the second insulating layer completely covers the first region.

9. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , further comprising an elastic layer, wherein the elastic layer is on a surface of the signal transmission segment away from the insulating substrate and a surface of the cantilever segment away from the insulating substrate; or the elastic layer is on the surface of the cantilever segment away from the insulating substrate.

10. The MEMS switch according to claim 9 , wherein the elastic layer comprises graphene.

11. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 , wherein the cantilever segment is provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating through the cantilever segment in a thickness direction of the cantilever segment.

12. A method of manufacturing a MEMS switch, comprising:
forming a first region at a first surface of an insulating substrate, remaining the first surface except the first region, wherein the first region is closer to a surface of the insulating substrate away from the first surface, relative to the first surface;
forming a driving electrode on the first region;
forming a first insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer completely covers the driving electrode;
forming a first signal transmission line on a surface of the first insulating layer away from the insulating substrate;
forming a sacrificial layer on the first region, wherein a surface of the sacrificial layer away from the first region and the first surface of the insulating substrate are flush with each other;
forming a second signal transmission line on the first surface of the insulating substrate and the surface of the sacrificial layer away from the first region, wherein the second signal transmission line comprises a signal transmission segment and a cantilever segment connected together as a one-piece member, the signal transmission segment is on the first surface of the insulating substrate, and the cantilever segment is on the surface of the sacrificial layer away from the first region; and
removing the sacrificial layer, such that the cantilever segment is suspended on a side of the first signal transmission line away from the insulating substrate.

13. The method of manufacturing a MEMS switch according to claim 12 , wherein before the forming the driving electrode on the first region, the method further comprises:
forming a touch point structure on the first region;
wherein the first region and the touch point structure are formed in a same step; or the first region and the touch point structure are formed successively in two steps;
in the forming the first insulating layer, the first insulating layer completely covers the touch point structure; and
in the forming the first signal transmission line, an orthographic projection of the first signal transmission line on the first region at least partially covers an orthographic projection of the touch point structure on the first region.

14. The method of manufacturing a MEMS switch according to claim 13 , wherein when forming the first region and the touch point structure in the same step, the first region and the touch point structure are formed through etching using a laser etching method.

15. The method of manufacturing a MEMS switch according to claim 12 , wherein after the forming the first region at the first surface of the insulating substrate and before the forming the driving electrode on the first region, the method further comprises:
forming a second insulating layer;
wherein the second insulating layer completely covers the first surface of the insulating substrate, a side surface connected between the first region and the first surface, and the first region; or the second insulating layer completely covers the side surface and the first region; or the second insulating layer completely covers the first region.

16. The method of manufacturing a MEMS switch according to claim 12 , wherein the sacrificial layer is removed by plasma etching or acid-base etching.

17. The method of manufacturing a MEMS switch according to claim 12 , wherein after the forming the second signal transmission line and before the removing the sacrificial layer, the method further comprises:
forming an elastic layer on a surface of the signal transmission segment away from t

Assignees

• Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd
• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Yue
• Feng Yulin
• Xiao Yuelei
• Cao Xue
• Chang Wenbo
• Han Kidong
• Wu Yifan
• Zhou Yi
• Wang Lihui
• Wei Qiuxu
• An Qichang
• Qu Feng

Classifications

• H01H11/00 Primary

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches (processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88) · CPC title

• H01H2001/0084

  with perpendicular movement of the movable contact relative to the substrate · CPC title

• H01H59/0009

  making use of micromechanics · CPC title

• H01H1/0036 Primary

  Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] (for electromagnetic relays H01H50/005; for electrostatic relays H01H59/0009) · CPC title

• H01H59/00

  Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays · CPC title