A latching MEMS relay for DC and RF applications

Author

Agrawal, Vivek

Author_Institution

Memscap Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

fYear

2004

fDate

20-23 Sept. 2004

Firstpage

222

Lastpage

225

Abstract

A latching MEMS relay, based on thermal actuator, for both DC and RF applications are described. In contrast to electrostatic MEMS relays that require a voltage to hold a closed state, this relay is a true mechanical latching design where no power is required to hold a state. For DC applications, the relay can typically switch 250 mA of current in cold switching configuration, and up to 10 mA at 10 V in hot switching applications. For RF relay, based on the similar design, typical performance parameters are (at 6 GHz): isolation ∼-40 dB, and > insertion loss <-1.0 dB and return loss <-15 dB.

Keywords

cobalt; gold; microactuators; microrelays; microwave devices; palladium; rhodium; 10 V; 10 mA; 250 mA; 6 GHz; Au; DC applications; Pd-Co; RF applications; Rh; cold switching configuration; electrostatic MEMS relays latching; hot switching applications; mechanical latching design; thermal actuator; Actuators; Conductivity; Etching; Fabrication; Micromechanical devices; Radio frequency; Relays; Silicon; Space heating; Switches;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electrical Contacts, 2004. Proceedings of the 50th IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts and the 22nd International Conference on Electrical Contacts

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8460-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/HOLM.2004.1353121

Filename

1353121