Package MEMS switch and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9691579-B2
Application number	US-201314368771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device and methods including a switch formed in a chip package are shown. An electronic device and methods including a switch formed in a polymer based dielectric are shown. Examples of switches shown include microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structures, such as cantilever switches and/or shunt switches.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a semiconductor chip coupled to a package substrate;
at least one switch housed at least partially within the package substrate, the switch including;
a conductive trace;
a conductive beam housed within a package substrate dielectric, the conductive beam having at least one end that is exposed within the dielectric and is free to move;
wherein the at least one end is spaced apart from a corresponding conductive trace by a gap;
a magnetic component configured to provide at least a portion of an actuation force to move the at least one end;
an electrostatic mechanism configured to provide at least a portion of the actuation force to move or hold in place the at least one end adjacent to the conductive trace; and
the conductive beam includes one or more openings for tuning the actuation force required to move the at least one end of the conductive beam.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the gap is between approximately 10-15 micrometers.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the package substrate dielectric includes an organic dielectric.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including a second dielectric between the conductive beam and the conductive trace to form a capacitive switch.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the second dielectric includes silicon nitride.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one end of the conductive beam is fixed to the package substrate to form a cantilever switch.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein both ends of the conductive beam are free to move, forming a shunt switch.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including ground traces adjacent to the conductive trace on the same package level to form a co-planar waveguide.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including a ground plane beneath the conductive trace in the package to form a micro-strip waveguide.

10. An electronic system, comprising:
a semiconductor chip coupled to a package substrate;
at least one switch housed at least partially within the package substrate, the switch including;
a conductive trace;
a conductive beam housed within a package substrate dielectric, the conductive beam having at least one end that is exposed within the dielectric and is free to move;
wherein the at least one end is spaced apart from a corresponding conductive trace by a gap;
a magnetic component configured to provide at least a portion of an actuation force to move the at least one end; and
an electrostatic mechanism configured to provide at least a portion of the actuation force to move or hold in place the at least one end adjacent to the conductive trace;
the conductive beam includes one or more openings for tuning the actuation force required to move the at least one end of the conductive beam; and
an antenna coupled to the at least one switch, wherein the antenna is tunable to different frequencies by actuation of the at least one switch to vary the capacitive and/or inductive loading across the antenna.

11. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device includes a mobile telephone.

12. The electronic system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device includes a tablet computer.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Ma Qing
• Swan Johanna
• Rao Valluri
• Eid Feras

Classifications

• H01H59/0009 Primary

  making use of micromechanics · CPC title

• H01Q5/314

  using frequency dependent circuits or components, e.g. trap circuits or capacitors · CPC title

• H01H2229/05

  Forming; Half-punching · CPC title

• H01H50/005

  using micromechanics · CPC title

• H01H2229/016

  Selective etching · CPC title