Back to results
US 7,030,328 B1Granted
Liquid metal switch employing micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) structures for actuation
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorTimothy Beerling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic switch comprises a droplet of conductive liquid located in contact with a surface having an alterable surface configuration, an input contact located on the alterable surface and configured such that the input contact is in constant electrical contact with the droplet, and a micro-electronic mechanical system (MEMS) for altering the surface configuration to change the contact angle of the droplet with respect to the surface.
Claims17
An electronic switch, comprising:
- a droplet of conductive liquid located in contact with a surface having an alterable surface configuration;
- an input contact located on the alterable surface and configured such that the input contact is in constant electrical contact with the droplet;
- and
- a deformable micro-electronic mechanical system (MEMS) for altering the surface configuration to change the contact angle of the droplet with respect to the surface.
1 more element
A method for making an electronic switch, comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- providing a surface having an alterable surface configuration comprising at least one deformable micro-electronic mechanical system (MEMS) structure;
- providing a droplet of conductive liquid in contact with the surface;
- providing an input contact on the surface and configured such that the input contact is in constant electrical contact with the droplet;
- and
- altering the surface configuration to change the contact angle of the droplet with respect to the surface.
3 more elements
An electronic switch, comprising:
- a droplet of conductive liquid located in contact with a surface having an alterable surface configuration comprising moveable beams;
- an input contact located on the alterable surface and configured such that the input contact is in constant electrical contact with the droplet;
- and
- means for altering the surface configuration to change the contact angle of the droplet with respect to the surface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.