Nanogap MEMS micro-relay with 70 ns switching speed

This paper presents Micro-electro-mechanical relays for very fast switching applications. Prototype relays have been fabricated tested and demonstrated reconfiguration capabilities as fast as 70 ns with a 300 ns additional settling time once electrical contact is fully stabilized. Such switching speed has been previously demonstrated on capacitive RF-MEMS switches, but this is the first time that such a fast mechanical switching is reported on relays, i.e. ohmic contact switches. The ability to open or close a contact at such speed can lead to many applications such as ultra low power electromechanical computing, or harsh environment electronics.