Apparatus and method for a micromechanical electrostatic relay
AssigneeSiemens Electromechanical Components, Inc.
InventorsHelmut Schlaak, Lothar Kiesewetter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for a micromechanical electrostatic relay that includes a base substrate and a carrier layer deposited onto the base substrate. The carrier layer includes an armature and stationary-contact spring tongues that engage each other at their respective free ends. Once engaged, the armature spring tongue moving contacts overlaps the respective stationary-contact spring tongue stationary contacts. During an electrostatic rest state, the armature and stationary-contact spring tongues curve away from the base substrate wherein their respective free ends no longer engage.
Claims17
A micromechanical electrostatic relay comprising:
- a base substrate having a base electrode and a carrier layer attaching to said base substrate wherein said carrier layer includes a carrier layer first and second end;
- a micromechanical armature spring tongue having an armature electrode and extending along said carrier layer first end wherein said armature electrode is oppositely located from said base electrode, and micromechanical armature spring tongue having an armature free end and forming an armature wedge-shaped gap by elastically curving away from said base substrate during an electrostatic relay rest state, said armature free end including a plurality of armature free end moving micromechanical contacts wherein each of said armature free end moving micromechanical contacts project beyond said armature free end;
- and
- a micromechanical stationary-contact spring tongue having a contact free end and extending along said carrier layer second end, said contact free end including a plurality of contact free end micromechanical stationary contacts overlapping each of said contact free end stationary micromechanical contacts and with each of said contact free end stationary micromechanical contacts curving away from said base substrate during said electrostatic relay rest state.
A method for producing a micromechanical electrostatic relay comprising the steps of:
- applying an electricallyconductive carrier layer, an insulating layer, an intermediate layer, and a sacrificial layer to a base substrate having a base electrode wherein said insulating layer and said intermediate layer are disposed between said carrier layer and said base substrate;
- forming a first micromechanical spring tongue and second micromechanical spring tongue of said electrically conductive carrier layer, each of said first and second micromechanical spring tongues including a free end, a length and a top side wherein said first micromechanical spring tongue free end engages said micromechanical second spring tongue free end and wherein said first spring tongue length is less than said second spring tongue length;
- forming a tensile stress layer on at least a portion of said top side of each of said first and second micromechanical spring tongues;
- forming a plurality of first spring tongue stationary micromechanical contacts on said first spring tongue free end and a plurality of second spring tongue moving micromechanical contacts on said second spring tongue free end;
- overlapping each of said first spring tongue stationary micromechanical contacts with said second spring tongue moving micromechanical contacts with said sacrificial layer disposed between each of said second spring tongue moving micromechanical contacts and each of said first spring tongue stationary micromechanical contacts;
- and
- upwardly curving said first and second micromechanical spring tongues away from said base substrate by etching so that said first spring tongue free end does not engage said second spring tongue free end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.