Hybrid radio frequency component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9251984-B2
Application number	US-201213728399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2012
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems may provide for a hybrid RF MEMS component design including an electrostatic actuation and a piezoelectric actuation. In one example, the method may include applying a first voltage to generate a first piezoelectric force to reduce a first gap between a cantilever and an actuation electrode, and applying a second voltage to generate an electrostatic force to create contact between the cantilever and a transmission electrode.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system comprising:
a processing component;
a memory component coupled to the processing component; and
a wireless radio component to propagate a radio frequency (RF) signal coupled to the processing component, wherein the wireless radio component is to include an RF switch, the RF switch having,
an actuation electrode; and
a cantilever including,
a top electrode layer;
a piezoelectric layer located below and attached to the top electrode layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer includes aluminum nitride (AlN) and wherein the cantilever is deformed via a first piezoelectric force to reduce the gap between the bottom electrode layer and the actuation electrode upon application of a first voltage; and
a bottom electrode layer located below and attached to the piezoelectric layer, wherein a protrusion extends from the bottom electrode layer to create a gap between the protrusion and a transmission electrode wherein the cantilever is deformed via an electrostatic force to bend the cantilever to contact the actuation electrode upon application of a second voltage between the bottom electrode layer and the actuation electrode.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application of the first voltage is to be between the top electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever is deformed via a second piezoelectric force to retract the protrusion away from the transmission electrode upon application of a voltage in an opposing polarity to the first voltage.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom electrode layer is thicker than the top electrode layer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the top electrode layer is thicker than the bottom electrode layer.

6. An apparatus comprising:
an actuation electrode; and
a cantilever having,
a top electrode layer;
a piezoelectric layer located below and attached to the top electrode layer; and
a bottom electrode layer located below and attached to the piezoelectric layer, wherein a protrusion extends from the bottom electrode layer to create a gap between the protrusion and a transmission electrode and wherein the cantilever is deformed via a first piezoelectric force to reduce the gap between the bottom electrode layer and the actuation electrode upon application of a first voltage and wherein the bottom electrode layer is configured to contact the actuation electrode upon application of a second voltage between the bottom electrode layer and the actuation electrode.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the cantilever is deformed via a second piezoelectric force to retract the protrusion away from the transmission electrode upon application of a voltage in an opposing polarity to the first voltage.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the bottom electrode layer is thicker than the top electrode layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the top electrode layer is thicker than the bottom electrode layer.

Assignees

• Hsu Hao-Han
• Mahameed Rashed
• Abdelmoneum Mohamed A
• Han Dong-Ho
• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Hsu Hao-Han
• Mahameed Rashed
• Abdelmoneum Mohamed A
• Han Dong-Ho

Classifications

• B81B2203/0118

  Cantilevers · CPC title

• H01H2001/0084

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

• B81B3/0056

  Adjusting the distance between two elements, at least one of them being movable, e.g. air-gap tuning · CPC title

• Y10T29/42

  Piezoelectric device making · CPC title

• H01H1/0036 Primary

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