Fluid-based switch
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsArthur Fong, Marvin Glenn Wong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fluid-based switches and a method for producing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the switch comprises first and second mated substrates defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities, a plurality of electrodes exposed within one or more of the cavities, a switching fluid that serves to open and close at least a pair of electrodes in response to forces applied to the switching fluid, a surface tension modifier coating at least a portion of the switching fluid, and an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to the switching fluid.
Claims23
A switch comprising:
- first and second mated substrates defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities;
- a plurality of electrodes exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- a switching fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and close at least a pair of the plurality of electrodes in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- a surface tension modifier coating at least a portion of the switching fluid;
- and
- an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to said switching fluid.
A switch comprising:
- first and second mated substrates defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities;
- a plurality of wettable pads exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- a switching fluid, wettable to said pads and held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and block light paths through one or more of the cavities in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- a surface tension modifier coating at least a portion of the switching fluid;
- and
- an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to said switching fluid.
A method comprising:
- depositing a surface tension modifier on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- depositing a switching fluid on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- mating the first substrate with the second substrate, thereby defining a cavity holding at least a portion of the surface tension modifier and the switching fluid, and thereby forcing the surface tension modifier to coat at least a portion of the switching fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.