Micromechanical digital capacitor with improved rf hot switching performance and reliability

A device, comprising:

• a substrate having one or more electrodes formed therein;
• an electrically insulating layer disposed over the substrate and the one or more electrodes;
• one or more spring elements coupled to the electrically insulating layer, the one or more spring elements movable from a first position to a second position;
• a MEMS element coupled to the electrically insulating layer, the MEMS element movable from a third position to a fourth position spaced from the electrically insulating layer, the MEMS element including a first portion that contacts the electrically insulating layer when in the third position and a second portion that contacts the one or more spring elements and moves the one or more spring elements from the first position to the second position.

A method, comprising:

• forming a MEMS element over a substrate having an insulating layer, one or more landing structures, and a first sacrificial layer disposed thereover, the forming including:
• forming a first structural layer over the first sacrificial layer;
• forming a second sacrificial layer over the first structural layer;
• removing at least one portion of the second sacrificial layer to expose a portion of the first structural layer;
• forming a structural element over the exposed first structural layer;
• and
• forming a second structural layer over the second sacrificial layer and the structural element;
• and
• removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer to free the MEMS element, the freed MEMS element movable from a first position to a second position and having a first portion that contacts the insulating layer when the MEMS element is in the first position, and a second portion that contacts the one or more landing structures when the MEMS element is in the second position.