206results about "Electrostatic/electro-adhesion relays" patented technology

A system includes a circuit protection device (CPD) having an input coupled to an aircraft power generator and an output coupled to an aircraft electrical load. A shorting switch is coupled to the input of the CPD. The shorting switch, when closed, provides a fault current path that returns to the aircraft power generator and avoids passing through the CPD and the aircraft electrical load. A controller, based upon the voltage measurements from one or more voltage sensors and current measurements from at least one current sensor selectively opens and closes one or more of the CPD and the shorting switch.

A micro-electrical-mechanical-system (MEMS) switching device including a first MEMS switch having a first and second terminal, and a second MEMS switch having a third and fourth terminal. The device also includes first and second input conductors, and first and second output conductors. The first input conductor electrically connects the second terminal to the third terminal. The second input conductor electrically connects an input port to the first input conductor. The first output conductor electrically connects a first output port to the first terminal. The second output conductor electrically connects a second output port to the fourth terminal. A first path from the input port to the first output port, and a second path from the input port to the second output port, have substantially identical electrical characteristics.

The invention discloses a terahertz wave band composite beam RF MEMS switch with low driving voltage, and belongs to the field of radio frequency front-end devices. The device is composed of a direct current port metal block, a direct current bias line, a microstrip line matching structure, a composite beam MEMS switch, a composite beam middle conduction structure, a metal electrode of a composite beam, a silicon nitride insulating layer, a quartz glass substrate, a coplanar waveguide metal ground and a metal ground. The composite beam MEMS switch is formed by combining a silicon dioxide material clamped beam and a metal beam adsorbed below the silicon dioxide material clamped beam, a direct current port is connected to the anchor point position of the metal beam and a metal electrode through a direct current bias line, and different direct current voltages can be input through the direct current port to control the lifting state of the composite beam and the pull-down state of the composite beam adsorbed to the electrode. The two switches respectively correspond to an off state and an on state of the switch. The composite beam MEMS switch works below 140GHz, so that low driving voltage, low insertion loss and high isolation are realized. The reaction time of microsecond magnitude is achieved, destructive deformation is not prone to occurring, the structure is simple, and manufacturing is easy.

In accordance with an embodiment, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch device includes: a substrate; a switching membrane disposed above the substrate; a pull-in electrode disposed above the switching membrane; a metal contact disposed on the switching membrane; and a pull-back electrode disposed below the switching membrane, wherein the switching membrane is movable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein in the closed position, the metal contact electrically connects two RF signal lines.

The invention provides an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) three-state inertia switch and a preparation method thereof. In the inertia switch, a first glass cover plate is provided with a first closed electrode and a pull-in polar plate, and the upper and lower surfaces of a mass block with an interlayer silicon structure are respectively provided with a first closed electrode and a second closed electrode; the second glass cover plate is provided with a second closed electrode; in an initial state, the first closing electrode is closed, and the pull-in polar plate is not in contact with the mass block and is locked by static electricity; when inertia force borne by the three-state inertia switch reaches inertia overload force, the mass block is separated from electrostatic adsorption and moves towards the second glass cover plate to enter an intermediate state, and the processing circuit outputs second voltage; when the inertia force is increased, the second closed electrode contacts and enters a closed state, and the processing circuit outputs a third voltage. The structure of the three-state inertia switch can be manufactured by adopting an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) process, and the sensor is small in size; the three-state jump is not limited by the compression of the spring and can occur instantaneously, so that more requirements for detecting external overload are met.

A device for switching a differential signal includes an input port, a first output port, a second output port, a first micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch, and a second MEMS switch. The first and second MEMS switches selectively couple the input port to either the first output port or the second output port. The differential input port is separated into two single-ended paths. One single-ended path is switched through the first MEMS switch, and the other single-ended path is switched through the second MEMS switch. The single-ended paths are spatially matched with respect to length and orientation, and are at least partially distributed through at least two layers of electrical conductors, with adjacent layers of electrical conductors separated by electrically insulating layers.

A MEMS device includes: a dielectric substrate; a driving electrode, first and second reference electrodes on the dielectric substrate; a first dielectric layer covering the driving electrode; and a membrane bridge on a side of the first dielectric layer away from the dielectric substrate, where a first gap is between the first reference electrode and the driving electrode; a second gap is between the second reference electrode and the driving electrode; and a thickness of a part of the first dielectric layer at each of the first and second gaps is greater than a thickness of the driving electrode; and / or, a second dielectric layer is on a side of a bridge deck of the membrane bridge close to the dielectric substrate, and an orthographic projection of the second dielectric layer on the dielectric substrate covers at least an orthographic projection of the driving electrode on the dielectric substrate.

Various embodiments of the utility model relate to a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device comprises a sensing electrode, a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, an actuating diaphragm and a third dielectric layer. The sensing electrode is located above the substrate and between the plurality of isolation trenches. A plurality of portions of the first dielectric layer are on the sensing electrode. A portion of the second dielectric layer is on the sensing electrode and on the portions of the first dielectric layer. The actuating diaphragm is over the second dielectric layer, wherein the actuating diaphragm is spaced apart from the second dielectric layer by a cavity. The third dielectric layer is located on the actuating diaphragm, the third dielectric layer is located between the actuating diaphragm and the cavity, and the thickness of a part of the second dielectric layer is larger than that of the third dielectric layer.

Apparatuses including spark gap structures for electrical overstress (EOS) monitoring or protection, and associated methods, are disclosed. In an aspect, a vertical spark gap device includes a substrate having a horizontal main surface and a plurality of pairs of conductive layers over the horizontal main surface. Different ones of the pairs are separated by different vertical distances such that each pair serves as an arcing electrode pair and different ones of the arcing electrode pairs are configured to arc discharge at different voltages.

A system for protecting a MEMS relay switch system that controls electric current to a load includes a parallel resonant circuit in series with the MEMS relay switch system. The parallel resonant circuit includes an auxiliary switch in series with a capacitor configured to be pre-charged by a voltage source, and an inductor in parallel with the auxiliary switch and the capacitor. The inductor is in series with the MEMS relay switch system. A method includes receiving a signal, activating an auxiliary switch, determining if the received signal is a turn OFF or a turn ON signal, and depending on the received signal, setting a time delay within a resonant half cycle of a parallel resonant pulse circuit, turning off the auxiliary switch, and pre-charging a capacitor of the parallel resonant pulse circuit.

A micro-electromechanical-system (MEMS) device may include a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) that includes an actuation membrane and a sensing dielectric layer that are spaced apart by a cavity. The sensing dielectric layer may be formed such that the thickness of the sensing dielectric layer may extend the operational of the CMUT while enabling the CMUT to accommodate a sufficiently high direct current voltage bias for collapsed mode operation. In this way, the thickness of the sensing dielectric layer enables the CMUT to operate in the collapsed mode, which enables the CMUT to achieve greater sound pressure output relative to other operational modes and enables the frequency response of the CMUT to be adjustable, thereby enabling the frequency response to be optimized for specific use cases and applications.

The invention discloses a parallel MEMS switch of a terahertz wave band, and belongs to the field of radio frequency front-end devices. The antenna is composed of a first-layer metal patch, a middle-layer dielectric plate, a second-layer metal patch, a high-resistance bias line, a dielectric film, a metal pier and a third-layer metal patch which are stacked from bottom to top. Wherein the first layer of metal patch is an integral metal ground; the middle dielectric plate is an integral dielectric layer; the second layer of metal patch comprises a coplanar waveguide signal ground, a coplanar waveguide signal line, a direct current bias electrode and a switch driving electrode; and the third layer of metal patch comprises a switch metal beam and a CPW closed bridge. The lower driving electrode of the switch is covered with a dielectric film with a larger area, the middle section of the CPW signal ground is provided with a section of lifting bridge, and the direct current bias line is wired through the bridge and connects the lower electrode of the switch to the direct current bias electrode.

The invention discloses a terahertz MEMS composite membrane switch based on a glass substrate, and belongs to the field of terahertz wireless communication equipment. The MEMS switch is of a three-dimensional structure and sequentially comprises a metal ground, a glass substrate, a coplanar waveguide signal transmission line, a silicon nitride dielectric layer and an MEMS composite film from bottom to top. The MEMS composite film is equivalent to a clamped beam structure, and an anchor area of the MEMS composite film is connected with a signal ground of the CPW; the composite film is composed of a gold film and a silicon dioxide film, the composite film, a silicon nitride dielectric layer below and a CPW signal line form a parallel plate capacitor, bias voltage is loaded through a direct-current voltage signal transmission line connected with an anchor area, the height of the MEMS composite film is changed, then the plate capacitance value is changed, and switching between the on state and the off state of a transmission signal is achieved. The MEMS switch of the composite film has the advantages of low insertion loss and high isolation in terahertz frequency band application, and can be applied to radio frequency devices such as phase shifters, attenuators, reconfigurable filters and the like.

High voltage microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches are described. The MEMS switches can be actively opened and closed. The switch can include a beam coupled to an anchor on a substrate by one or more hinges. The switch can include control electrodes, disposed on a surface of the substrate, for electrically controlling the beam. The anchor is asymmetrically positioned with respect to the two ends of the beam and is electrically connected to a middle electrode. A stopper serves as a pivot point during actuation of the switch to reduce the mechanical stress on the hinges.

A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) switch and method of fabricating the same including at least one comb drive having a first input and a second input, at least one conductive beam connected across the at least one comb drive, a first contact, and a second contact, wherein no voltage difference between the first input and the second input does not result in any movement of the MEMS switch, and wherein a voltage difference between the first input and the second input causes an electrostatic force to be generated that causes the at least one conductive beam to move in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the electrostatic force.

An apparatus for switching differential signals includes an input port, a first output port, a second output port, a first micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch, and a second MEMS switch. The first and second MEMS switches selectively couple the input port to the first output port or the second output port. The differential input port is divided into two single-ended paths. One single-ended path is switched through the first MEMS switch and the other single-ended path is switched through the second MEMS switch. The single-ended paths are spatially matched with respect to length and orientation and are at least partially distributed by at least two electrically conductive layers, adjacent electrically conductive layers being separated by electrically insulating layers.

The invention relates to the technical field of sensors, and discloses a micro-inertia switch with an online detection function, which is characterized in that a first polar plate and a second polar plate are respectively arranged on the upper side of a mass block of a first structural layer and the lower side of a second structural layer to form a detection capacitor bank; by detecting the capacitance value of the detection capacitor bank, the spacing distance or the opposite area change between the first polar plate and the second polar plate can be known, and then the movement condition of the mass block under the action of acceleration can be known, so that the dynamic characteristic test of the micro-inertia switch can be realized. A capacitance signal for detecting the capacitor bank is led out only through one or more wiring terminal groups arranged on the second structural layer, and the first polar plate on the mass block does not need an additional lead, so that the manufacturing process is simplified. Besides, as the first polar plate arranged on the mass block is not directly electrified, the mass block can not be interfered in the dynamic characteristic test process, and the motion characteristic of the mass block with the sensitive structure can be tested in the normal working process of the micro-inertia switch.

A MEMS switch, a preparation method thereof, and an electronic apparatus. The MEMS switch includes: a substrate, a coplanar waveguide line structure disposed on a side of the substrate, an isolation structure disposed on a side of the coplanar waveguide line structure away from the substrate, a film bridge disposed on a side of the isolation structure away from the substrate. The coplanar waveguide line structure includes a first wire, a first DC bias line, a second wire, a second DC bias line and a third wire arranged at intervals sequentially. The second wire is one of an RF signal transmission line and a ground line, the first wire and the third wire are the other of the RF signal transmission line and the ground line. The film bridge is crossed between the first wire and third wire, and is connected with the first wire and the third wire respectively.

To provide a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch apparatus.SOLUTION: An MEMS switch apparatus for handling input voltages higher than a standoff voltage of each MEMS switch in the MEMS switch apparatus may comprise at least one pair of MEMS switches. Each pair of MEMS switches may comprise a first MEMS switch and a second MEMS switch electrically coupled to the first MEMS switch at a midpoint. The first and second MEMS switches may be arranged in a back-to-back configuration. Each pair of MEMS switches may further comprise an input electrically coupled to the first MEMS switch, an output electrically coupled to the second MEMS switch, one or more input components electrically coupled across the first MEMS switch from the input to the midpoint, and one or more output components electrically coupled across the second MEMS switch from the midpoint to the output.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

A micro-electrical-mechanical-system (MEMS) switching device including a first MEMS switch having a first and second terminal, and a second MEMS switch having a third and fourth terminal. The device also includes first and second input conductors, and first and second output conductors. The first input conductor electrically connects the second terminal to the third terminal. The second input conductor electrically connects an input port to the first input conductor. The first output conductor electrically connects a first output port to the first terminal. The second output conductor electrically connects a second output port to the fourth terminal. A first path from the input port to the first output port, and a second path from the input port to the second output port, have substantially identical electrical characteristics.

Circuit breakers based on micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) switches are described. A high voltage MEMS teeter-totter switch can include a beam coupled to an anchor on a substrate and two control electrodes, disposed on a surface of the substrate. A control voltage applied on one of the control electrodes with respect to a first reference voltage puts one of the two ends of the beam in electric contact with one of two contact electrodes of the MEMS teeter-totter switch to electrical connected two terminals of a circuit breaker. The input voltage is applied on the beam with respect to a second reference voltage different from the first reference voltage. A MEMS teeter-totter switch network comprises a plurality of MEMS teeter-totter switches configured to switch high voltage and high current between the two terminals of the circuit breaker.

The invention provides a radio frequency MEMS switch and a preparation method thereof, and relates to the technical field of radio frequency MEMS switches. A substrate of the radio frequency MEMS switch comprises a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other, a Peltier refrigeration module is embedded in the substrate, the Peltier refrigeration module comprises a refrigeration end and a heat dissipation end, and the refrigeration end is closer to the first surface compared with the heat dissipation end. The driving electrode is arranged on the first surface, and the first electrode and the second electrode are also arranged on the first surface. The cantilever beam is electrically connected with the first electrode, the cantilever beam is arranged on the side, away from the substrate, of the driving electrode, and the cantilever beam is configured to be electrically connected with the second electrode under driving of the driving electrode. The orthographic projection of the joint of the cantilever beam and the first electrode on the substrate is overlapped with the area where the Peltier refrigeration module is located, and / or the orthographic projection of the joint of the cantilever beam and the second electrode on the substrate is overlapped with the area where the Peltier refrigeration module is located, in-situ active cooling can be carried out, and thermal creep aggravation is restrained.

Provided is an in-plane sliding parallel capacitive radio frequency, RF, switch based on a superlubric structure. The RF switch includes a substrate, first to third drive components, an insulating layer, and a sliding component. Where a drive voltage is applied between the first and second drive components, the sliding component slides to the top of the first and second drive components under the action of a horizontal force; in this case, relatively large capacitance is formed between the first and second drive components and the sliding component, a RF signal is almost completely reflected, and the transmission is cut off. Where the drive voltage is applied between the second and third drive components, the sliding component slides to the top of the second and third drive components under the action of a horizontal force; in this case, no facing area between a first drive electrode and the sliding component exists in a vertical direction, the capacitance is rather small, and the RF signal may be transmitted basically without loss.

A method of manufacturing a MEMS device, wherein the MEMS device has a cavity in which a beam will move to change the capacitance of the device. After most of the device buildup has occurred, sacrificial material is removed to free the beam within the MEMS device cavity. Thereafter, exposed ruthenium contacts are etched back with an etchant comprising chlorine to remove the top surface of both the top and bottom contacts. Due to this etch back process, low contact resistance can be achieved with less susceptibility to stiction events. Stiction performance can be further improved by conditioning the ruthenium contacts in a fluorine based plasma. The fluorine based plasma process, or fluorine treatment, can be performed prior to or after etch-back process of the ruthenium contacts.

A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) switch (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) and method (800) of fabricating the same including at least one comb drive (101 and 103, 201 and 203 and 205, 301 and 303, 401 and 403 and 405, 501 and 503 and 505) having a first input (113, 219, 307, 415, 515) and a second input (107, 215, 313, 417, 517), at least one conductive beam (105, 207, 209, 305, 407, 409, 507, 509, 701, 705, 709, 713, 717, 721) connected across the at least one comb drive, a first contact (109, 211, 311, 411, 511), and a second contact (111, 213, 309, 413, 513), wherein no voltage difference between the first input and the second input does not result in any movement of the MEMS switch, and wherein a voltage difference between the first input and the second input causes an electrostatic force to be generated that causes the at least one conductive beam to move in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the electrostatic force.

The disclosed technology relates generally to switching devices and more particularly to switching devices employing micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switches. The switching devices can serve as circuit breakers for protecting electrical systems against certain electrical events. The switching devices can be configured to monitor and control one or both the MEMS switches and the electrical systems being protected. The disclosed technology additionally relates to systems including the switching devices and methods of using the switching devices.

The invention relates to a micromechanical switch having a substrate (10) with a main plane of extension (x, y), having a first electrical contact (11) and a second electrical contact (12), having a first deflectable micromechanical switch part (30) with a first contact bridge (31) for switching a first circuit (15), by means of which first contact bridge the first contact can be brought into electrical contact with the second contact, the invention relates to a first, second, third and fourth electrical contacts (21, 22), having a second deflectable micromechanical switching part (40), which has a second contact bridge (41) for switching a second circuit (25), by means of which the third contact can be brought into electrical contact with the fourth contact, the first, second, third and fourth electrical contacts being arranged on a substrate, wherein the first switching component (30) and the second switching component (40) are formed in the micromechanical functional layer (100) above the substrate and can be deflected in a direction perpendicular to a main extension plane (x, y) of the substrate.

An interface, such as an input / output expander (IOE), includes microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches that are operable to connect or disconnect respective signal lines on the interface. MEMS switches may be less susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damages, which eliminates a need for ESD protection circuits for each MEMS switch. The interface can have improved performance due to the eliminated need for the ESD protection circuits, which otherwise may have introduced jitter in signal propagation.

A vibration-driven energy harvester includes: a base; a movable assembly that includes a first movable electrode and a second movable electrode; a first fixed electrode disposed so as to face opposite the first movable electrode; a second fixed electrode disposed so as to face opposite the second movable electrode; an elastic support member having a fixed end fixed to the base, the elastic support member supporting the movable assembly; a first electret formed at least at one of the first movable electrode and the first fixed electrode; and a second electret formed at least at one of the second movable electrode and the second fixed electrode, wherein: a gap distance between a front end of the second movable electrode and a facing surface of the second fixed electrode facing the front end of the second movable electrode is different from a gap distance between a front end of the first movable electrode and a facing surface of the first electrode facing the front end of the first movable electrode.