Planar cavity mems and related structures, methods of manufacture and design structures

A method in a computer-aided design system for generating a functional design model of a MEMS, the method comprising:

• generating a functional representation of a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate;
• generating a functional representation of an insulator layer over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of aluminum silicide during a subsequent sacrificial material deposition step;
• generating a functional representation of at least one upper MEMS beam over the at least one fixed plate;
• and
• generating a functional representation of venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a lower cavity,
• wherein the generating a functional representation of an insulator layer over the at least one fixed plate comprises a functional representation of a conformal oxidization barrier layer comprising at least one of Al2O3 and Ta2O5.