Bistable micromechanical switches

Abstract

A bistable micromechanical switch that includes a substrate, at least two anchor points formed on the substrate, and a beam structure that includes a two-material beam attached to at least two anchor points. The two-material beam has a first portion, a second portion and a center portion. The first portion of the two-material beam is formed from a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material such that the first layer of the first portion is proximate to the surface of the substrate and the second layer of the first portion is remote from the surface of the substrate. The first material has a first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second material has a second coefficient of thermal expansion such that the second coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion. The second portion of the two-material beam is formed from a first layer of the second material and a second layer of the first material such that the first layer of the second portion is proximate to the surface of the substrate and the second layer of the second portion is remote from the surface of the substrate. The beam structure has a first and a second stable state such that the center portion of the beam structure is deflected toward the surface of the substrate for the first stable state and is deflected away from the surface of the substrate for the second stable state.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.