MEMS switches with reduced switching voltage and methods of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9287075-B2
Application number	US-201514670671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Apr 22, 2008
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

MEMS switches and methods of manufacturing MEMS switches is provided. The MEMS switch having at least two cantilevered electrodes having ends which overlap and which are structured and operable to contact one another upon an application of a voltage by at least one fixed electrode.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A structure comprising:
at least two fixed electrodes including a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode; and
at least three cantilevered electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, wherein:
the first electrode and the second electrode overlap and are structured and operable to contact one another upon an application of a voltage to at least one fixed electrode;
the third electrode is a stationary electrode and is configured to provide a voltage to move the first electrode toward the second electrode;
the first fixed electrode is configured to apply the voltage which moves the first electrode towards the second electrode; and
the second fixed electrode is configured to apply another voltage which attracts the second electrodes toward the first electrode.

2. The structure of claim 1 , wherein the second fixed electrode is raised higher than the first fixed electrode.

3. The structure of claim 2 , wherein the first electrode or the second electrode includes a vertically extending portion that decreases a travel distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

4. The structure of claim 3 , further comprising a hermetically sealed volume having encapsulated therein the at least three cantilevered electrodes and the at least two fixed electrodes.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Luce Stephen E
• Stamper Anthony K

Classifications

• B81C2203/0145

  Hermetically sealing an opening in the lid · CPC title

• H01H1/0036

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

• H01H2059/0018

  Special provisions for avoiding charge trapping, e.g. insulation layer between actuating electrodes being permanently polarised by charge trapping so that actuating or release voltage is altered · CPC title

• H01H11/00

  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

• Y10T29/49105

  Switch making · CPC title