Reducing oxides on a switching fluid in a fluid-based switch
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMarvin Glenn Wong, John Ralph Lindsey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fluid-based switch and methods for reducing oxides on switching fluid are disclosed. In one method, oxides are reduced by depositing a switching fluid on a first substrate, mating the first substrate to a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate defining therebetween a cavity holding the switching fluid, the cavity being sized to allow movement of the switching fluid between first and second states, and creating a gas in the cavity holding the switching fluid, the gas to react with at least one of oxygen in the cavity and oxides on the switching fluid.
Claims30
A method, comprising:
- depositing a switching fluid on a first substrate;
- mating the first substrate to a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate defining therebetween a cavity holding the switching fluid, the cavity being sized to allow movement of the switching fluid between first and second states;
- and
- creating a gas in the cavity holding the switching fluid, the gas to react with at least one of oxygen in the cavity and oxides on the switching fluid.
A switch comprising:
- first and second mated substrates defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities;
- a plurality of electrodes exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- a switching fluid, held within a first one of the cavities, that serves to open and close at least a pair of the plurality of electrodes in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- a gas held within the first cavity, the gas to react with at least one of oxygen in the cavity and oxides on the switching fluid;
- an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to said switching fluid.
A switch comprising:
- first and second mated substrates defining therebetween at least portions of a number of cavities;
- a plurality of wettable pads exposed within one or more of the cavities;
- a switching fluid, wettable to said pads and held within one or more of the cavities, that serves to open and block light paths through one or more of the cavities in response to forces that are applied to the switching fluid;
- a gas held within the first cavity, the gas to react with at least one of oxygen in the cavity and oxides on the switching fluid;
- and
- an actuating fluid, held within one or more of the cavities, that applies the forces to said switching fluid.
A method, comprising:
- depositing a switching fluid on a first substrate;
- mating the first substrate to a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate defining therebetween a cavity holding the switching fluid, the cavity being sized to allow movement of the switching fluid between first and second states;
- and
- injecting a gas into the cavity, the gas to react with at least one of oxygen in the cavity and oxides on the switching fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.