# US 7,609,136 B2 · MEMS microswitch having a conductive mechanical stop

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- Number: US 7,609,136 B2
- Document ID: US7609136B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/961,767
- Filed: 2007-12-20
- Published: 2009-06-25
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-20
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Xuefeng Wang; Kanakasabapathi Subramanian; Christopher Fred Keimel; Marco Francesco Aimi; Kuna Venkat Satya Rama Kishore; Glenn Scott Claydon; Oliver Charles Boomhower; Parag Thakre
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609136B2

## CPC

- H01H 59/0009: {making use of micromechanics}
- H01H 2059/0072: {with stoppers or protrusions for maintaining a gap, reducing the contact area or for preventing stiction between the movable and the fixed electrode in the attracted position}
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)

## Abstract

A MEMS switch includes a substrate, a movable actuator coupled to the substrate, a substrate contact, a substrate electrode, and a conductive stopper electrically coupled to the movable actuator and structured to prevent the movable actuator from contacting the substrate electrode while allowing the movable actuator to make contact with the substrate contact.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A MEMS switch comprising:
a substrate;
a movable actuator coupled to the substrate;
a substrate contact;
a substrate electrode; and
a conductive stopper electrically coupled to the movable actuator via a conductive trace and structured to prevent the movable actuator from contacting the substrate electrode while allowing the movable actuator to make contact with the substrate contact.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MEMS switch of claim 1, wherein the movable actuator and the substrate electrode are electrically isolated from the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The MEMS switch of claim 1, wherein the movable actuator comprises a conductive beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The MEMS switch of claim 3, wherein the movable actuator comprises a conductive cantilever beam.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The MEMS switch of claim 3, wherein the conductive stopper has a higher resistivity than the conductive beam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The MEMS switch of claim 1, wherein the substrate electrode consists of a conductor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The MEMS switch of claim 1, wherein the conductive stopper is located on the substrate and the substrate electrode is located between the conductive stopper and the substrate contact.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The MEMS switch of claim 7, wherein conductive stopper is structured such that the movable actuator makes contact with the conductive stopper before it makes contact with the substrate contact.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The MEMS switch of claim 1, further comprising the conductive trace electrically coupled to the movable actuator and located on the substrate at least partially under the movable actuator.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The MEMS switch of claim 9, further comprising an isolation layer between the substrate and the substrate electrode, wherein the conductive trace is located between the substrate and the isolation layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The MEMS switch of claim 9, wherein the conductive stopper is integrated with the movable actuator such that when the movable actuator is actuated, the conductive stopper contacts the conductive trace.

### Claim 12

A MEMS switch comprising:
a substrate;
a movable actuator coupled to the substrate;
a substrate contact;
a substrate electrode; and
a conductive stopper located on the substrate and electrically coupled to the movable actuator such that the conductive stopper and the movable actuator maintain the same electrical potential.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The MEMS switch of claim 12, wherein the substrate electrode is located between the conductive stopper and the substrate contact.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The MEMS switch of claim 12, wherein the movable actuator and the substrate electrode are electrically isolated from the substrate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The MEMS switch of claim 12, wherein the movable actuator comprises a conductive beam.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The MEMS switch of claim 15, wherein the movable actuator comprises a conductive cantilever beam.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The MEMS switch of claim 15, wherein the conductive stopper has a higher resistivity than the conductive beam.

### Claim 18

A MEMS switch comprising:
a substrate;
a movable actuator coupled to the substrate and comprising a conductive stopper;
a substrate contact;
a substrate electrode; and
a conductive trace electrically coupled to the movable actuator and located on the substrate at least partially below the movable actuator such that the conductive stopper makes electrical contact with the conductive trace and the movable actuator makes electrical contact with the substrate contact when the switch is actuated.

### Claim 19

A MEMS switch array formed on a shared substrate comprising:
a first movable actuator coupled to the substrate;
a second movable actuator coupled to the substrate;
a substrate electrode located on the substrate at least partially below the first and second movable actuators;
a substrate contact located on the substrate at least partially below the first and second movable actuators such that the first and second movable actuators make electrical contact with the substrate contact based upon a state of the substrate electrode; and
at least one conductive stopper electrically coupled to the movable actuators via a conductive trace and structured to prevent the movable actuators from contacting the substrate electrode while allowing the movable actuators to make contact with the substrate contact.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The MEMS switch array of claim 19, wherein the movable actuators comprise conductive cantilever beams.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The MEMS switch array of claim 20, wherein the at least one conductive stopper has a higher resistivity than the conductive beams.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The MEMS switch array of claim 19, the substrate electrode consists essentially of a conductor.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The MEMS switch array of claim 19, wherein the conductive stopper is located on the substrate and the substrate electrode is located between the conductive stopper and the substrate contact.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The MEMS switch array of claim 19, further comprising the conductive trace electrically coupled to the movable actuator and located on the substrate at least partially under the movable actuator.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The MEMS switch array of claim 24, wherein at least one conductive stopper is integrated with at least one of the movable actuators such that when a movable actuator having a conductive stopper is actuated, the conductive stopper contacts the conductive trace.