# US 8,541,926 B2 · Nano/micro electro-mechanical relay > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,541,926 B2 - Document ID: US8541926B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/169,374 - Filed: 2011-06-27 - Published: 2012-12-27 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-27 - Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Applicants: Jeffrey S. Pulskamp; Fay D. Sharman - Inventors: Jeffrey S. Pulskamp; Daniel C. Judy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541926B2 ## CPC - H01H 57/00: Electrostrictive relays; Piezoelectric relays - H01H 1/0094: {Switches making use of nanoelectromechanical systems [NEMS]} - H01H 1/2066: {Fork-shaped bridge; Two transversally connected contact arms bridging two fixed contacts} - H01H 2001/0084: {with perpendicular movement of the movable contact relative to the substrate} - H01H 2057/006: {Micromechanical piezoelectric relay} - 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 nano/micro electro-mechanical relay, comprising an at least one normally open (NO) nano/micro relay switch and an at least one normally closed (NC) nano/micro relay switch. Both the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch can be switched between their respective normal relay switch positions and their respective actuated relay switch positions. An at least one nano/micro actuator including an at least one piezoelectric stack layer being attached to an at least one elastic layer, wherein the at least one piezoelectric stack layer contracts to deflect the at least one elastic layer, and thereby actuate the at least one nano/micro contact bar to simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch position and their respective actuated relay switch positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A nano/micro electro-mechanical relay, comprising: at least one normally open (NO) nano/micro relay switch and at least one normally closed (NC) nano/micro relay switch, both of which operationally include at least one displaceable contact pad that can be displaced relative to at least one substrate anchored pad to substantially simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch positions and their respective actuated relay switch positions; an at least one nano/micro actuator including at least one piezoelectric stack layer being attached to at least one elastic layer, wherein to actuate the at least one nano/micro actuator, the at least one piezoelectric stack layer contracts to deflect the at least one elastic layer; and at least one nano/micro contact bar that when actuated by the at least one nano/micro actuator configured to simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch position and their respective actuated relay switch positions at least partially in response to deflection of the at least one nano/micro actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one displaceable contact pad comprises at least one displaceable contact cantilever. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate anchored pad comprises an at least one substrate anchored cantilever. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, further comprising at least one etch hole formed in a piezoelectric actuating layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, further comprising at least one etch hole formed in a piezoelectric actuating layer, and wherein multiple nano/micro actuators are at least partially defined and separated by said etch hole. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one NO nano/micro relay switch comprises a single switch contact. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one NO nano/micro relay switch comprises at least two switch contacts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one NC nano/micro relay switch comprises a single switch contact. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one NC relay switch comprises at least two switch contacts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic layer is formed at least partially from at least one dielectric material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one piezoelectric stack layer comprises a bottom actuator electrode layer, a piezoelectric actuator layer, and a top actuator electrode layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 11, wherein biasing the top actuator electrode layer relative to the bottom actuator electrode layer transitions the at least one normally open relay switch and at least one normally closed relay switch between their normal switch positions and actuated switch positions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, wherein the at least one NO relay switch and at least one NC relay switch further comprises at least one array of NO relay switches and at least one array of NC relay switches. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 1, that is at least partially integrated within an at least one nano/micro electro-mechanical digital relay circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 14, wherein the at least one nano/micro electro-mechanical digital relay circuit comprises at least one nano/micro relay switch pair. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 15, wherein the at least one nano/micro relay switch pair is configured to operate as an oscillator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 15, wherein the at least one nano/micro relay switch pair is configured to operate as a latch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The nano/micro electro-mechanical relay of claim 15, wherein the at least one nano/micro relay switch pair includes a plurality of nano/micro relay switch pairs, different ones of the nano/micro relay switch pairs are each configured with nano/micro actuators having different dimensions, and based on the different dimensions of the actuator, the voltages necessary to transition the nano/micro relay switch pairs differ. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: providing at least one nano/micro relay switch pair including at least one normally open (NO) nano/micro relay switch and at least one normally closed (NC) nano/micro relay switch; simultaneously switching the at least one nano/micro relay switch pair between their respective normal relay switch positions and their respective actuated relay switch positions, wherein the simultaneously switching is performed by an at least one nano/micro actuator including at least one piezoelectric stack layer contracting to deflect an at least one elastic layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising actuating at least one nano/micro contact bar to simultaneously switch the NC nano/micro relay switch and the NO nano/micro relay switch between their respective normal relay switch position and their respective actuated relay switch positions.