Development of a shock acceleration microswitch with enhanced-contact and low off-axis sensitivity

In the present work, microswitches with different shapes have been fabricated by low-cost and convenient multi-layer electroplating in order to develop a shock acceleration microswitch with enhanced-contact and low off-axis sensitivity. Modal analysis based on FEM shows that the three kinds of new designed microswitches have lower off-axis sensitivity than our previous device, i.e., type I. The packaged microswitches were tested by the drop hammer system. The generated half-sine-like shocking acceleration with amplitude of 80 g, lager than the threshold, was applied to the microswitches. The test contact time of the microswitch IV is about 55 mus, whose contact effect is much better than conventional. A shock acceleration microswitch IV with a movable contact point utilizes the double spring-mass system to realize an enhanced-contact effect and is considered as a better selection for long duration contact and relatively low off-axis sensitivity.