Electrically controllable integrated switch

A method, comprising:

• forming an interconnect region over a semiconductor substrate, the interconnect region comprising a plurality of metallization layers, each metallization layer being separated by an insulating layer;
• and
• forming a switching device in the interconnect region from the plurality of metallization layers, the switching device comprising an assembly in a cavity of a housing, the assembly comprising a beam held by a structure built into the housing, the beam and the structure being electrically conductive and formed from a same layer of metallization of the plurality of metallization layers, wherein the structure comprises a first plurality of arms disposed on a first side of the beam and a second plurality of arms disposed on a second side of the beam, the first side being opposite to the second side, wherein the beam, the first plurality of arms, and the second plurality of arms are completely formed of metal of the same layer of metallization in which the beam is formed, and wherein a first arm of the first plurality of arms directly contacts the beam at a first location, a second arm of the first plurality of arms directly contacts the beam at a second location, a first arm of the second plurality of arms directly contacts the beam at a third location, and a second arm of the second plurality of arms directly contacts the beam at a fourth location, and each of the first location, the second location, the third location, and the fourth location is a different location of the beam.

A method, comprising:

• forming a first metal layer over semiconductor substrate;
• forming a second metal layer over the first metal layer;
• forming a third metal layer over the second metal layer, wherein a plurality of first vias electrically connect first conductive features of the third metal layer to one or more conductive features of the second metal layer, and wherein a switching device is formed by second conductive features of the third metal layer, the switching device comprising an assembly, the assembly comprising a beam held by a structure;
• forming a fourth metal layer over the third metal layer, wherein a plurality of second vias electrically connect one or more conductive features of the fourth metal layer to the first conductive features of the third metal layer, and wherein a housing is formed by the one or more conductive features of the second metal layer, the first conductive features of the third metal layer, the one or more conductive features of the fourth metal layer, the plurality of first vias, and the plurality of second vias, wherein the switching device is disposed inside the housing, wherein a section of the housing that is formed by the fourth metal layer comprises one or more openings over the switching device, and wherein the assembly extends from a first sidewall of the housing to a second sidewall of the housing, the first sidewall being opposite to the second sidewall;
• and
• performing an etching process through the one or more openings to remove insulating material inside the housing surrounding the switching device and form a cavity in the housing, the cavity being defined in part by a first conductive feature of the one or more conductive features of the second metal layer, a first via of the plurality of first vias, and a second via of the plurality of first vias, wherein the first conductive feature of the one or more conductive features of the second metal layer extends from the first via of the plurality of first vias to the second via of the plurality of first vias, and wherein the first conductive feature of the one or more conductive features of the second metal layer physically contacts the first via of the plurality of first vias and the second via of the plurality of first vias.