Design and Fabrication of a Strain-Powered Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) Switch

Abstract

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches, while having the potential to function under ultra low power constraints, still require onboard power sources. Strain-powered actuators can be triggered with off-board power sources such as laser irradiation. In this report, we discuss the design and fabrication of a microswitch that could eventually be optically triggered to fold using the heat generated from a laser. These switches were fabricated on a silicon wafer using standard microfabrication techniques. We discuss in detail switch design and fabrication process as well as the evolution of design changes implemented to overcome process and design issues. We have taken an initially rather complex, process-intensive design and reduced it to a process requiring only lift-off for patterning. We show that an actuated switch would have a resistance of 40 ohms with 10 mA applied across the contacts.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA609485

Entities

People

  • Christopher J. Morris
  • Cory R. Knick

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Actuators
  • Dry Etching
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Electroplating
  • Fabrication
  • Films
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Microelectromechanical Systems
  • Microfabrication
  • Microscopes
  • Military Research
  • Physical Vapor Deposition
  • Resistance
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy
  • Standards
  • Thin Films

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Naval Engineering and Maritime Security

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems