EP1312100B1 - Microcontact - Google Patents

Microcontact Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1312100B1
EP1312100B1 EP01957680A EP01957680A EP1312100B1 EP 1312100 B1 EP1312100 B1 EP 1312100B1 EP 01957680 A EP01957680 A EP 01957680A EP 01957680 A EP01957680 A EP 01957680A EP 1312100 B1 EP1312100 B1 EP 1312100B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
mount
switched
substrate
contact piece
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP01957680A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1312100A1 (fr
Inventor
Ralf Strümpler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ABB Research Ltd Switzerland
ABB Research Ltd Sweden
Original Assignee
ABB Research Ltd Switzerland
ABB Research Ltd Sweden
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ABB Research Ltd Switzerland, ABB Research Ltd Sweden filed Critical ABB Research Ltd Switzerland
Publication of EP1312100A1 publication Critical patent/EP1312100A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1312100B1 publication Critical patent/EP1312100B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H59/00—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays
    • H01H59/0009—Electrostatic relays; Electro-adhesion relays making use of micromechanics
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/20—Bridging contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/0036—Switches making use of microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]
    • H01H2001/0042—Bistable switches, i.e. having two stable positions requiring only actuating energy for switching between them, e.g. with snap membrane or by permanent magnet

Definitions

  • Such a switch is mounted on a substrate and has an intended for switching on or off a current contact arrangement and an electrically actuated drive for a movable contact piece of the contact arrangement.
  • the drive which can operate, for example, electrostatically, electromagnetically, piezoelectrically or thermally, the movable contact piece is moved from an open position to a closed position or vice versa, wherein a resiliently deformable by bending contact carrier provides for a restoring force.
  • the microswitch can be manufactured by known methods of semiconductor technology or comparable methods of microtechnology and is therefore particularly suitable for integration with other semiconductor technology devices, in particular integrated circuits.
  • microswitch has extremely fast response times compared to conventional electromagnetic switches due to the small moving masses.
  • necessary switching capacities are very low, so that it is possible to achieve considerable power savings, especially when used repeatedly in a larger circuit.
  • microswitch includes a plate-shaped substrate, on the surface of the two electrically conductive end portions 96a, 96b of a U-shaped, flexible contact carrier are attached. On the contact carrier, a bridge contact piece 99 is electrically isolated. Two fixed contacts 94 and 94 'as well as two control electrodes 92a and 92b are furthermore arranged on the substrate surface.
  • this switch In operation of this switch, an electric field is applied to the control electrode 92a and the end portion 96a or to the control electrode 92b and the end portion 96b, bending the contact carrier toward the substrate surface.
  • the bridge contact 99 then closes the two contact pieces 94, 94 'short and current can now flow from the contact piece 94 via the bridge contact 99 to the contact piece 94'.
  • the electric field keeps the bridge contact against the spring force of the contact carrier in the closed position.
  • the electric field is reduced by changing the voltage of the control electrode 92a and 92b, respectively, and reversing the bending of the contact carrier while disconnecting the contacts.
  • the force applied by the drive is relatively low.
  • the switch opens in case of unintentional weakening or failure of the electric field in an undesirable manner.
  • the invention solves the problem of specifying a micro-switch of the type mentioned, which can be operated with little expenditure of energy and energy and which is also characterized by high reliability.
  • the fixed at both ends, flexible contact carrier is formed parallel to the plate-shaped substrate deformable and has two achievable by elastic deformation of the contact carrier stable positions, one of which is associated with the off and the other of the closed position.
  • a switch drive which effects the transition from the switch-off to the switch-on position and vice versa from the switch-on position to the switch-off position therefore only has to apply a comparatively low deformation energy during a switching operation. Since a secure contact or secure contact separation is ensured by the two stable layers, a high reliability of the switch is guaranteed even without additional securing means or without additional force, such as is caused by an electric field.
  • one of the two stable layers is already achieved during the manufacture of the switch, for example by deep, reactive ion etching (DRIE), due to the formation of a contact carrier designed as a symmetrical antinode.
  • DRIE deep, reactive ion etching
  • the other of the two stable layers can be achieved when the symmetrical antinode is converted by elastic deformation in an asymmetrically shaped antinode. Since the contact carrier executes a relatively large stroke during the transition from one to the other stable position, a separating distance formed between the open contacts of the switch and formed by the stroke is characterized by high dielectric strength.
  • An asymmetrically formed antinode can be achieved if the fixed contact piece at the location where it touches the movable contact piece, a smaller distance from one of the two ends of the contact carrier than from the other end.
  • the value of a position coordinate guided parallel to the connecting path between the two contact carrier ends at the location of the contact point should be between 0.08 and 0.48 times the length of the connecting path, since otherwise the positional stability is reduced too much.
  • In order to obtain a large separation distance and thus high withstand voltage, should be above the connecting line lying, symmetrically trained vibration belly the contact point to be arranged on or below the connecting path.
  • the contact carrier should be formed electrically conductive at least between one of its two ends and the movable contact piece. An additional power supply to the movable contact piece can then be saved. If, however, the movable contact piece is formed as a bridge contact and a further fixed contact piece is arranged on the substrate, which is contacted as the other fixed contact piece in the closed position with the bridge contact, the contact carrier with respect to the substrate or the bridge contact with respect to the contact carrier should be electrically isolated be.
  • the switch drive on two independently displaceable mechanical actuators, one of which acts on the contact carrier when switching with a force which is required to achieve by elastic deformation of the contact carrier the on state and the Others applied to the contact carrier when switching off with a force which is required to reach by elastic deformation of the contact carrier to the off state.
  • at least one of the two actuating elements should form an acute angle with the tangential plane in the contact point of this actuating element on the contact carrier. It can then be done with a comparatively small driving force, the deformation work when switching on or off.
  • a particularly suitable drive with a large stroke at comparatively low force is a drive with two electrostatically acting comb structures, one of which cooperates with one each of the two actuators.
  • Such a drive can be worked out together with the contact carrier in an economically advantageous manner, preferably by an ion etching, from the substrate.
  • FIGS. 1 to 3 designate like-acting parts.
  • the contact arrangements of microswitches shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are respectively micromixed, ie worked out by application and etching processes, from a plate-shaped substrate extending in the plane of the paper.
  • the substrate is layered and has buried layers that could be removed at appropriate locations to make certain parts of the substrate movable.
  • silicon is particularly suitable as a structural material, since it can be embodied with suitable doping, depending on the requirements, both electrically insulating and also electrically conductive.
  • the buried layers are formed by SiO 2 . When using silicon on SiO 2 or another insulator can In this case, recourse is had to known SOI (silicon on insulator) structures, in particular if monocrystalline silicon is preferred as the building material, to SIMOX wafers.
  • a bendable contact carrier 1 designed as a rod or blade was etched in all contact arrangements, which is fastened with its two ends 2, 3 to two substrate stages 4, 5.
  • the contact carrier 1 acts like a spiral spring and has a stable position generated during the etching, in which it is shaped in the manner of a symmetrical (in the figures upwardly directed) antinode.
  • a movable contact piece 6 is mounted, which contacted in the closed position of the switch, a fixed contact piece 7 of the contact arrangement and electrically separated in the off position of the switch from the fixed contact piece 7.
  • the section of the contact carrier 1 located between the end 2 and the movable contact piece 6 is designed to be electrically conductive and a current connection 8, which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the end 2, is embedded in the step 4.
  • the second power connection of the contact arrangement is connected directly to the stationary contact piece 7.
  • the movable contact piece 6 is formed as electrically isolated in the contact carrier 1 arranged bridge contact or the entire contact carrier 1 is electrically insulated from the substrate.
  • another fixed contact piece 9 is arranged on the substrate.
  • the two power connections of the contact arrangement are in each case electrically conductively connected to one of the two fixed contact pieces 7, 9.
  • the drive must not only apply the deformation work, but must then in the switched on in Fig.1 illustrated Einschaltwolf throughout the duty cycle resistant also caused by the flexurally elastic deformation of the contact carrier 1 bending force and additionally also the contact pieces apply compressive contact force.
  • the value x should parallel to the connecting section 11 of length L between the two contact carrier ends 2, 3 guided position coordinate at the location of the contact point 12 of the two contacts 6 and 7 are between 0.08 and 0.48 times the length L of the connection path.
  • the contact point 12 lies below the connection path 11 in the switch-on position. A dielectric strength of the contact separation distance present for open contacts is thus achieved for higher voltages.
  • the drive has two independently displaceable mechanical actuators 13, 14, of which the actuator 13, the contact carrier 1 when switched on with a force F applied, which is required by elastic deformation of the contact carrier 1 the on state to reach.
  • the second actuating element 14 acts on the contact carrier 1 when switched off with a counterforce, which is required to cancel by elastic deformation of the contact carrier 1, the contact force K and to reach the off state.
  • the displacement direction of the two actuating elements forms an acute angle ( ⁇ , ⁇ 'according to FIG. 4) with the tangential plane in the contact point of this actuating element on the contact carrier.
  • the actuator can then apply a large deformation force with relatively little force.
  • the drive has two electrostatically acting comb structures 15, 16, which can be acted upon by direct voltage U, U ', and two return springs 17, 18. Depending on one of the two comb structures and one of the two return springs cooperates with one of the two actuators.
  • the voltage U is applied.
  • a connected to the actuator 13 and movably mounted on the return spring 17 comb of the comb structure 15 is drawn into a fixed comb of the comb structure and in this case biases the return spring 17.
  • the actuator 13 thereby bends the contact carrier 1 and leads him to Umschnaptician, from where he the movable contact piece 7 springs to form the contact force K in the closed position.
  • the voltage U can now be removed.
  • the actuator 13 is returned by the return spring 17 back to its original position and is already for a new power-up.
  • the actuator 14 bends while the contact carrier 1 and leads him to Umschnaptician, from where he springs back into the original position.

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  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Micromachines (AREA)
  • Lubricants (AREA)
  • Saccharide Compounds (AREA)
  • Laser Surgery Devices (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Microcontact avec un substrat principalement en forme de plaque, une pièce de contact fixe (7, 9) placée sur le substrat, une pièce de contact mobile (6) qui, dans la position connectée de l'interrupteur est en contact électrique avec la pièce de contact fixe (7, 9) et dans la position déconnectée est séparée de la pièce de contact fixe, un porte-contact flexible (1) portant la pièce de contact mobile (6), qui est fixé au substrat par deux extrémités (2, 3), et un entraînement conduisant le porte-contact (1) dans la position connectée ou déconnectée par déformation élastique, caractérisé en ce que le porte-contact (1) est déformable parallèlement au substrat, en ce que, dans une première position stable correspondant à la position déconnectée, le porte-contact (1) présente la forme d'un ventre de vibration symétrique, et en ce que, dans une deuxième position stable correspondant à la position connectée, le porte-contact (1) est déformé à la manière d'un ventre de vibration de forme asymétrique.
  2. Microcontact selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la pièce de contact fixe (7, 9) présente, en un point de contact (12) avec la pièce de contact mobile (6), une distance plus petite par rapport à une première (2) des deux extrémités (2, 3) du porte-contact (1) que par rapport à la deuxième extrémité (3) de celui-ci.
  3. Microcontact selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que la valeur (x) d'une coordonnée de position menée parallèlement à la ligne de raccordement (11) entre les deux extrémités (2, 3) du porte-contact vaut à l'endroit du point de contact (12) entre 0,08 et 0,48 fois la longueur de la ligne de raccordement (11).
  4. Microcontact selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que le point de contact (12) est disposé sur ou en dessous de la ligne de raccordement (11) lorsque le ventre de vibration de forme symétrique est situé au-dessus de la ligne de raccordement (11).
  5. Microcontact selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que le porte-contact (1) est conducteur de l'électricité au moins entre une de ses deux extrémités (2, 3) et la pièce de contact mobile (6).
  6. Microcontact selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisé en ce que la pièce de contact mobile (6) se présente sous la forme d'un contact de pont, et en ce qu'une autre pièce de contact fixe (9) est disposée sur le substrat et touche le contact de pont dans la position connectée.
  7. Microcontact selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisé en ce que l'entraînement comprend deux éléments d'actionnement mécaniques (13, 14) déplaçables indépendamment l'un de l'autre, dont un premier (13) sollicite le porte-contact (1) lors de l'enclenchement avec une force qui est nécessaire pour atteindre l'état connecté par déformation élastique du porte-contact (1) et un deuxième (14) sollicite le porte-contact (1) lors du déclenchement avec une force, qui est nécessaire pour atteindre l'état déconnecté par déformation élastique du porte-contact (1).
  8. Microcontact selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que la direction de déplacement d'au moins un des deux éléments d'actionnement (13, 14) forme un angle aigu (α, α') avec le plan tangent au point d'application de cet élément d'actionnement sur le porte-contact (1).
  9. Microcontact selon l'une des revendications 7 ou 8, caractérisé en ce que l'entraînement comporte deux structures de peignes (15, 16) à action électrostatique, sollicitées par des ressorts, dont chacune coopère avec un des deux éléments d'actionnement (13, 14).
  10. Microcontact selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce qu'au moins le porte-contact (1) et/ou l'entraînement est usiné dans le substrat de préférence par un procédé de gravure ionique.
EP01957680A 2000-08-21 2001-08-20 Microcontact Expired - Lifetime EP1312100B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE10040867 2000-08-21
DE10040867A DE10040867A1 (de) 2000-08-21 2000-08-21 Mikroschalter
PCT/CH2001/000508 WO2002017342A1 (fr) 2000-08-21 2001-08-20 Microcontact

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1312100A1 EP1312100A1 (fr) 2003-05-21
EP1312100B1 true EP1312100B1 (fr) 2007-03-14

Family

ID=7653183

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01957680A Expired - Lifetime EP1312100B1 (fr) 2000-08-21 2001-08-20 Microcontact

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US6743989B2 (fr)
EP (1) EP1312100B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE357052T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU2001279543A1 (fr)
DE (2) DE10040867A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002017342A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2839194A1 (fr) * 2002-04-25 2003-10-31 Memscap Microcommutateur destine a etre employe dans un circuit radiofrequence
FR2865724A1 (fr) * 2004-02-04 2005-08-05 St Microelectronics Sa Microsysteme electromecanique pouvant basculer entre deux positions stables
CN108807021B (zh) * 2018-09-03 2024-01-26 上海得准开电子科技有限公司 一种有利于减少发热的触片结构

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3833158A1 (de) * 1988-09-29 1990-04-12 Siemens Ag Bistabiler biegewandler
GB9309327D0 (en) * 1993-05-06 1993-06-23 Smith Charles G Bi-stable memory element
US5847631A (en) 1995-10-10 1998-12-08 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Magnetic relay system and method capable of microfabrication production
US5638946A (en) * 1996-01-11 1997-06-17 Northeastern University Micromechanical switch with insulated switch contact
JPH10162713A (ja) 1996-11-29 1998-06-19 Omron Corp マイクロリレー
US5994816A (en) 1996-12-16 1999-11-30 Mcnc Thermal arched beam microelectromechanical devices and associated fabrication methods
IT1303665B1 (it) * 1998-12-24 2001-02-21 Abb Ricerca Spa Attuatore bistabile,particolarmente per dispositivi differenziali
IT1307131B1 (it) * 1999-02-02 2001-10-29 Fiat Ricerche Dispositivo di micro-rele' a controllo elettrostatico.
DE19912669A1 (de) * 1999-03-20 2000-09-21 Abb Research Ltd Substratparallel arbeitendes Mikrorelais
US6057520A (en) 1999-06-30 2000-05-02 Mcnc Arc resistant high voltage micromachined electrostatic switch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1312100A1 (fr) 2003-05-21
DE10040867A1 (de) 2002-05-23
DE50112194D1 (de) 2007-04-26
ATE357052T1 (de) 2007-04-15
US20030169136A1 (en) 2003-09-11
WO2002017342A1 (fr) 2002-02-28
AU2001279543A1 (en) 2002-03-04
US6743989B2 (en) 2004-06-01

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