Method of manufacturing mems switches with reduced switching voltage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018093884-A1
Application number	US-201715809066-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2008
Publication date	Apr 5, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first cantilevered electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode over an electrode and operable to contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to the electrode, and forming an arm on the first cantilevered electrode with an extending protrusion extending upward from an upper surface of the arm.

First claim

It is claimed:

1 . A method of fabricating a switch comprising:
forming a first cantilevered electrode; forming a second cantilevered electrode over an electrode and operable to contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to the electrode; and forming an arm on the first cantilevered electrode with an extending protrusion extending upward from an upper surface of the arm.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a hermetically sealed volume encapsulating the electrode, the first cantilevered electrode, and the second cantilevered electrode.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming the hermetically sealed volume comprises:
forming at least one hole in a nitride liner to gain access to a sacrificial resist; etching the sacrificial resist; and closing the at least one hole by deposition of additional liner material.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the hermetically sealed volume is formed with a nitride liner.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the hermetically sealed volume is a dome.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the dome is oval shaped.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second cantilevered electrode is formed with an end which overlaps the first cantilevered electrode.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein overlapping portions of the first cantilevered electrode and the second cantilevered electrode are separated by a vertical distance of about two microns.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second cantilevered electrode is formed above the first cantilevered electrode.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second cantilevered electrode is operable to directly contact the end of the first cantilevered electrode upon a positive voltage applied to the electrode.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the positive voltage is about 100 volts.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming an arm with an extending protrusion on the second cantilevered electrode.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Luce Stephen E
• Stamper Anthony K

Classifications

• H01H59/0009 Primary

  making use of micromechanics · CPC title

• B81C2203/0145

  Hermetically sealing an opening in the lid · CPC title

• H01H1/58

  Electric connections to or between contacts; Terminals {(for high tension switches H01H33/025; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/14; for circuit breakers H01H71/08)} · CPC title

• H01H1/0036

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

• Y10T29/49105

  Switch making · CPC title