Thermally activated latch

A method of latching an actuator on a microelectromechanical device, the method comprising the steps of:

• heating a thermally activated material until it is softened;
• moving an actuator having a contact area from a non-contact position, where the contact area is spaced apart from the thermally activated material, to a contact position, where the contact area is in contact with the softened thermally activated material;
• contacting a first signal line and a second signal line with an actuator end piece positioned at a free end of the actuator to provide electrical communication between the first and second signal lines when the actuator moves to the contact position, and
• allowing the thermally activated material to cool so that the thermally activated material retains the actuator in the contact position.

A microelectromechanical device, comprising:

• a substrate comprising a thermally activated material and two signal lines separated by a gap, the thermally activated material being located on the substrate;
• a heating device coupled to the thermally activated material and capable of heating the thermally-activated material so that it softens;
• and
• an actuator comprising a contact area and a conductive material end piece, the conductive material end piece being configured to provide electrical communications between the two signal lines, wherein the actuator is movable between a contact position and a non-contact position, wherein the contact area of the actuator is in contact with the thermally activated material of the substrate, and the end piece is in contact with each of the two signal lines in the contact position, and wherein the contact area is spaced apart from the thermally activated material, and the end piece is spaced apart from each of the two signal lines in the non-contact position.

A microelectromechanical device for latching an actuator to a substrate, comprising:

• a substrate comprising a thermally activated material located on the substrate;
• a heater coupled to the thermally activated material and capable of heating the thermally-activated material until it softens;
• and
• an actuator including:
• i) a first actuator member comprising a first material;
• ii) a first heating element arranged in thermal communication with the first actuator member;
• iii) a second actuator member comprising a second material different than the first material;
• iv) a second heating element arranged in thermal communication with the second actuator member;
• wherein the actuator moves from a non-contact position to a contact position when one of the first and second actuator members is heated, wherein the contact area of the actuator is in contact with the thermally activated material of the substrate in the contact position, and wherein the contact area is spaced apart from the thermally activated material in the non-contact position.

A microelectromechanical device for latching an actuator to a substrate, comprising:

• a substrate;
• a thermally activated material positioned on the substrate;
• a heater configured to heat the thermally-activated material;
• and
• an actuator movable between a contact position and a non-contact position, the actuator including:
• i) a first arm including a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;
• ii) a second arm including a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion;
• iii) an insulating layer positioned between the first arm and the second arm;
• and
• iv) a contact area positioned to contact the thermally activated material of the substrate when the actuator is in a contact position.