Shunted multiple throw MEMS RF switch

Metallic mechanical integrated circuit radio frequency transmission line electrical switching apparatus comprising the combination of:

• an integrated circuit substrate member;
• a plurality of semiconductor material layers disposed on said substrate member, said semiconductor material layers comprising a plurality of electrical transistor members;
• an array of spaced apart metallic transmission line ground member elements residing on an upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers;
• a metallic first radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member disposed intermediate elements of said metallic transmission line ground member array on said upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers;
• said metallic first radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member interconnecting a switch overlap area on said surface portion of said semiconductor material layers with one of a transmission line radio frequency source and load members;
• a metallic second radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member disposed intermediate elements of said metallic transmission line ground member array on said upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers;
• a metallic third radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member disposed intermediate elements of said metallic transmission line ground member array on said upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers;
• said second and third metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying members each including a selectively movable portion overlapping segregated portions of said first metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member in said overlap area;
• a metallic bridge member extending upward over said selectively movable portions of said second and third metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying members in said overlap area from one of:
• said first metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member;
• and
• one of said metallic transmission line ground member elements;
• said second and third metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying members each being normally resident in one of:
• open switch relaxed spring physical segregation from said upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers and said substrate member and interconnected via said metallic bridge member with one of said metallic transmission line ground member elements;
• and
• closed switch relaxed spring physical segregation from said upper surface portion of said semiconductor material layers and said substrate member in close intimate spaced coupling with said first radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member via said metallic bridge member;
• first electrostatic force generating electrical potential apparatus connected between said first metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member and said second metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member and selectively generating an electrical potential achieving an energized, closed switch operating condition of said second metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member with said first radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member;
• second electrostatic force generating electrical potential apparatus connected between said first metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member and said third metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member and selectively generating an electrical potential achieving an energized closed switch operating condition of said third metallic radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member with said first radio frequency energy transmission line signal conveying member.

The method of performing electrical switching in a metallic conductor signal path of a radio frequency integrated circuit electrical device, said method comprising the steps of:

• disposing an electrical switching assembly at an angular junction multiple conductor fan-out position along a metallic transmission line signal path in said radio frequency integrated circuit electrical device;
• holding a spring urged movable metallic portion of each conductor in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly in a relaxed minimal spring tension first switching condition during quiescent state intervals of said electrical switching assembly;
• changing one spring urged movable metallic conductor portion in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly into a stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition during selected transient actuated switch operating intervals of said electrical switching assembly;
• changing said movable metallic conductor portion switching position against spring tension into said stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition using electrostatic force generated by an electrical potential switch control signal;
• limiting spring tension urged movable metallic conductor movement arc length and movable metallic conductor element spacing gap in said electrical switching assembly during a relaxation from said second switching condition to said first switching condition using a metal stopping member selectively disposed along a switch position-changing swing path of said movable metallic conductor;
• coupling radio frequency electrical signal between said movable metallic conductor-electrical switching member and a switch output conductor member using one of capacitance and ohmic coupling between said switching member and a switch output conductor member in one of said first and second switching conditions;
• limiting capacitance electrical signal coupling between said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member and said switch output conductor member by one of capacitance coupled and ohmic contact grounding of said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member to a zero electrical potential metal stopping member in a remaining of said first and second switching conditions;
• said first and second switching conditions comprising one of:
• a normally open condition in said electrical switching assembly including lowest capacity coupling between said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member and said switch output conductor member plus concurrent grounding by one of capacitance coupled and ohmic contact grounding of said movable metallic conductor member to said zero electrical potential metal stopping member;
• and
• a normally closed condition in said electrical switching assembly including greatest capacity coupling between said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member and said switch output conductor member plus actuated switch grounding by one of capacitance coupled and ohmic contact grounding of said movable metallic conductor member to said zero electrical potential metal stopping member;
• repeating said step of changing one spring urged movable metallic conductor portion in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly into a stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition using a selected one of said spring urged movable metallic conductor portions.

The method of performing ohmic electrical switching in a metallic conductor signal path of a radio frequency integrated circuit electrical device, said method comprising the steps of:

• disposing an electrical switching assembly at an angular junction multiple conductor fan-out position along a metallic transmission line signal path in said radio frequency integrated circuit electrical device;
• holding a spring urged movable metallic portion of each conductor in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly in a relaxed minimal spring tension first switching condition during quiescent state intervals of said electrical switching assembly;
• changing one spring urged movable metallic conductor portion in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly into a stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition during selected transient actuated switch operating intervals of said electrical switching assembly;
• changing said movable metallic conductor portion switching position against spring tension into said stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition using electrostatic force generated by an electrical potential switch control signal;
• limiting spring tension urged movable metallic conductor movement arc length and movable metallic conductor element spacing gap in said electrical switching assembly during a relaxation from said second switching condition to said first switching condition using a metal stopping member selectively disposed along a switch position-changing swing path of said movable metallic conductor;
• coupling radio frequency electrical signal between said movable metallic conductor-electrical switching member and a switch output conductor member using ohmic contact coupling achieved between said switching member and a switch output conductor member in one of said first and second switching conditions;
• limiting capacitance electrical signal coupling between said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member and said switch output conductor member by ohmic connection grounding of said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member to a zero electrical potential metal stopping member in a remaining of said first and second switching conditions;
• said first and second switching conditions comprising one of:
• a normally open condition in said electrical switching assembly including lowest capacity coupling between said movable metallic conductor electrical switching member and said switch output conductor member plus concurrent ohmic connection grounding of said movable metallic conductor member to said zero electrical potential metal stopping member;
• and
• a normally closed condition in said electrical switching assembly including ohmic connection grounding of said movable metallic conductor member to said zero electrical potential metal stopping member;
• repeating said step of changing one spring urged movable metallic conductor portion in said multiple conductor fan-out position of said electrical switching assembly into a stressed greater spring tension transient state second switching condition using a selected one of said spring urged movable metallic conductor portions.