US 8,692,247 B2Granted

Integrated mechanical device for electrical switching

AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS

InventorsPascal Fornara, Christian Rivero, Antonio di-Giacomo

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An integrated circuit comprising a mechanical device for electrical switching comprising a first assembly being thermally deformable and having a beam held at at least two different locations by at least two arms, the beam and the arms being metal and disposed within the same metallization level, and further comprising at least one electrically conducting body. The first assembly has a first configuration at a first temperature and a second configuration at a second temperature different from the first temperature. The beam is out of contact with the electrically conducting body in one configuration in contact with the body in the other configuration. The beam establishes or breaks an electrical link passing through the said at least one electrically conducting body and through the said beam in the different configurations.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An integrated circuit, comprising:

a plurality of metallization levels separated by an insulating region and disposed on a substrate;
and
a mechanical device for electrical switching comprising:
a first assembly being thermally deformable and disposed within an enclosure and having a beam held at at least two different locations by at least two arms rigidly attached to edges of the enclosure, the beam and the arms being metal and disposed within a same metallization level;
and
at least one electrically conducting body, the said first assembly having at least a first configuration at a first temperature and a second configuration when at least one of the arms is at a second temperature different from the first temperature;
wherein the beam is out of contact with the said at least one electrically conducting body in one of the first configuration and second configuration and in contact with the said at least one electrically conducting body in the other of the first configuration and the second configuration and establishing or breaking an electrical link passing through the said at least one electrically conducting body and through the said beam, the said first assembly being activatable for switching from one of the configurations to another configuration.

4 more elements

A device, comprising:

at least one first body formed at least in part of an electrically conducting material;
a beam formed of an electrically conductive material and disposed with an enclosure and within a first metallization layer;
and
at least two first arms rigidly attached to edges of an enclosure and disposed within the first metallization layer, the at least two first arms being thermally deformable, the at least two first arms and the beam forming a first assembly, the at least two first arms configured to move the beam in response to a change in temperature, the first assembly having at least a first configuration at a first temperature and a second configuration when at least one of the at least two first arms is at a second temperature different from the first temperature, the beam out of contact with the at least one first body in the first configuration such that no electrical link passes through the at least one first body and through the said beam, and in contact with the at least one first body in the second configuration such that an electrical link passes through the at least one first body and through the beam.

1 more element

A device, comprising:

a first body disposed in an enclosure and formed of a conductive material;
a first arm attached to the enclosure;
a second arm attached to the enclosure;
and
a first beam formed of a conductive material, the first arm attached at a first point to a first face of the first beam at a first end of the first beam, the second arm attached at a second point to a second face of the first beam opposite the first face of the first beam, the second point between the first point and a second end of the first beam opposite the first end of the first beam, the first arm and the second arm configured to move the first beam from not being in contact at a second end of the first beam with the first body at a first temperature to being in contact at the second end of the first beam with the first body at a second temperature;
wherein the first beam establishes an electrical link through the first body and the first beam at the second temperature;
and
wherein the first arm, the second arm and the first beam are formed in a same metallization layer.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/687,932Filed 28 Nov 2012
Priority: FR 11 614079 Dec 2011
Published: US 2013/0146873 A113 Jun 2013
Granted: 8 Apr 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01H 37/52
Thermally-sensitive members: actuated due to deflection of bimetallic element
B81B 3/0024
Structures acting upon the moving or flexible element for transforming energy into mechanical movement or vice versa, i.e. actuators, sensors,…:…
G01K 3/005
Thermometers giving results other than momentary value of temperature: circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature
G01K 5/486
The material being a solid: using microstructures, e.g. made of silicon