JP4431030B2 - Micro contact switch and wireless communication equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a micro-contact switch and a wireless communication device, and belongs to the field of micromachine technology that realizes an extremely fine mechanical mechanism using a semiconductor microfabrication technology, and more specifically, as a part of an integrated circuit on a substrate. The present invention relates to a micro contact switch that can be incorporated and opens and closes an electrical contact, and a wireless communication device using the micro contact switch.

  Conventionally, as a micro contact switch, there is a micro switch that is miniaturized by using a micro machine technology that applies a semiconductor microfabrication technology (see, for example, JP-A-9-17300 (Patent Document 1)). .

  The conventional microswitch will be described with reference to FIG. 11 as an example. The conventional microswitch includes a fixed contact 305 provided on a substrate 300 made of single crystal silicon, GaAs, or the like, and a movable contact 304 provided on the movable plate 303. One end of the substrate is fixed to the substrate 300 by a support portion 302. The movable contact 304 and the fixed contact 305 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap, and when the movable contact 304 contacts and separates from the fixed contact 305, the electrical contact is opened and closed.

  In order to drive the movable plate 303 of such a switch, for example, an electrostatic actuator 306 can be used as shown in FIG. The electrodes 307 and 308 facing each other are provided on the movable plate 303 side and the substrate 300 side, respectively, and when no voltage is applied between the electrodes, no electrostatic attractive force is generated, so the fixed contact 305 and the movable contact 304 are Do not touch. On the other hand, when a voltage is applied between the electrodes 307 and 308, an electrostatic attractive force is generated, the movable plate 303 bends, and the fixed contact 305 and the movable contact 304 come into contact with each other. Further, when the voltage applied to the electrodes 307 and 308 is turned off from this state, the movable contact 304 is separated from the fixed contact 305 by the restoring force of the deformable movable plate 303. In this way, the microswitch can be easily connected and separated by controlling the voltage between the electrodes 307 and 308 of the electrostatic actuator 306. Such a microswitch is not only small, but also has an advantage of low power consumption.

In the conventional microswitch shown in FIG. 11, the movable plate 303 is deformed by the balance between the electrostatic attractive force generated by the electrostatic actuator 306 and the spring force caused by the bending of the movable plate 303. Therefore, in order to open and close the contacts within a voltage range that can be practically realized on the chip, there is a restriction that the spring force (elastic constant) of the movable plate 303 cannot be designed so large. Therefore, since the restoring force of the movable plate 303 when the movable contact 304 is separated is reduced, there is a problem that the contacts are bonded to each other when the total number of opening / closing operations is increased, and the contacts cannot be separated. It was.
JP-A-9-17300

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a micro-contact switch that can prevent contacts from being bonded to each other even if the total number of times of opening and closing increases, and can be incorporated as a part of an integrated circuit on a substrate. There is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the micro contact switch of the present invention comprises:
A substrate,
A fixed contact formed on the substrate;
A movable plate having a movable portion formed on the substrate and bonded to the substrate side and a movable portion separated from the substrate;
A drive unit for driving the movable plate;
A movable contact formed to face the movable portion of the movable plate at a position away from the fixed contact on the substrate;
The drive unit includes at least a first drive unit that performs an operation of moving the movable contact in a direction substantially perpendicular to a contact surface of the fixed contact to bring the movable contact into and out of contact with the fixed contact; And a second drive unit that performs an operation of sliding the movable contact along the contact surface of the fixed contact in a state where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact by the drive unit .
The first driving unit is disposed on the movable part side of the movable plate and on the substrate side facing the movable part,
The movable plate has a deformable portion that can be deformed to move the tip of the movable plate forward,
The second driving unit is disposed in the vicinity of the deforming unit .

According to the micro-contact switch having the above-described configuration, a sliding effect can be obtained when the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact. The problem that it becomes impossible to occur is less likely to occur, and long-term use can be realized.
Further, the tip of the movable plate is moved forward by the deformation of the deforming portion of the movable plate, and is slid along the contact surface of the fixed contact in a state where the tip is in contact with the fixed contact. Therefore, since a piezoelectric actuator is not used, the process can be simplified.
Further, when the movable contact is slid along the contact surface of the fixed contact, sliding can be performed with strong pressing.

  Further, in the micro contact switch according to an embodiment, when the movable contact is slid along the contact surface of the fixed contact by the second driving unit, the contact surface of the fixed contact and the movable contact is It is characterized by being substantially parallel to the substrate.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, it is easy to obtain a contact with stable contact resistance.

  Further, in the micro contact switch according to an embodiment, when the movable contact is slid along the surface of the fixed contact by the second driving unit, the contact surface between the fixed contact and the movable contact is the substrate. It is characterized by being inclined with respect to the surface.

  According to the micro contact switch of the above embodiment, even with the same drive unit and the same drive operation, the contact pressing force and the moving distance along the surface of the fixed contact differ depending on the inclination angle of the contact surface. Is obtained.

  In the micro contact switch according to one embodiment, the first driving unit is configured such that a main driving force works in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, the electrode of the electrostatic actuator that generates a driving force that works in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate is configured on a plane on the substrate, so that the electrode area is ensured. In addition, it is easy to form a narrow electrode interval, and it is easy to obtain a strong driving force.

  In one embodiment, the micro contact switch is characterized in that the deforming portion is a bent portion that is elastically deformed.

  According to the micro-contact switch of the embodiment, by using a bent portion that is elastically deformed as the deformable portion, the movable plate approaches the substrate side with almost no deformation of the deformable portion at the initial stage when the movable plate is driven. Can be made. And after a movable contact contacts a fixed contact, it becomes possible to deform | transform a deformation | transformation part greatly, and a strong recovery force is obtained at the time of contact separation by this.

  In one embodiment, the micro contact switch is configured such that the elastically deformed bent portion is at least movable on the opposite side of the movable contact in the direction in which the movable contact and the fixed contact face each other. It is provided so that the position of a board may be shifted.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, the distance for moving the movable contact along the contact surface of the fixed contact can be obtained longer.

  Moreover, the micro contact switch according to one embodiment is characterized in that the movable plate has an intermediate fulcrum that contacts the substrate side after the first drive unit starts driving the movable plate.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, when the movable contact is pressed against the fixed contact, a strong sliding force can be applied while preventing buckling in the vicinity of the supporting portion where the spring is weak.

  Moreover, the micro contact switch according to an embodiment is characterized in that an electrostatic actuator is used in the drive unit.

  According to the micro contact switch of the above embodiment, a special material is not required as compared with other actuator systems, so that process consistency is good and cost increase can be suppressed.

  In one embodiment, when the micro contact switch slides the movable contact along the contact surface of the fixed contact, at least one of the electrostatic actuators is pulled in. Features.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, it can be slid by a stable operation of the actuator.

  Moreover, the micro contact switch according to one embodiment is characterized in that a thermal actuator is used for the drive unit.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, the contact can be driven separately from the electrostatic actuator that opens and closes the contact, and the durability of the contact can be improved.

  The micro contact switch according to one embodiment is characterized in that the movable plate is made of a material containing at least a refractory metal element and another element.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, a movable plate in which the internal stress is controlled by the composition ratio can be obtained.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the refractory metal element is any one of tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, and titanium.

  According to the micro contact switch of the embodiment, a movable plate having a high elastic constant can be obtained.

  Moreover, the micro contact switch according to one embodiment is characterized in that the movable plate is made of a material containing at least one element of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon and a refractory metal element.

  According to the micro contact switch of the above embodiment, a movable plate in which internal stress is easily controlled at a low temperature of about room temperature by a reactive sputtering method can be obtained.

  In addition, it is desirable that the micro contact switch according to one embodiment is manufactured using a semiconductor manufacturing process.

  In addition, the wireless communication device of the present invention transmits any one of the above-described micro-contact switches, a transmission unit, a reception unit, a transmission signal from the transmission unit as a radio wave, and a reception signal to the reception unit. Is connected to the antenna and the transmitter via the micro contact switch, and the antenna and the receiver are connected to each other via the micro contact switch. It is characterized by that.

  According to the wireless communication device having the above-described configuration, when switching between transmission and reception, the contact of the micro contact switch is difficult to adhere and a wireless communication device with little deterioration of the contact can be obtained.

  In addition, the wireless communication device of the present invention transmits any one of the above-described micro-contact switch, transmission unit, reception unit, and a transmission signal from the transmission unit as a radio wave and a reception signal to the reception unit. A plurality of antennas for receiving radio waves as radio waves, connecting the plurality of antennas and the receiving unit via the micro contact switch, respectively, and closing any one of the micro contact switches The receiving unit is connected to one of the antennas.

  According to the wireless communication device having the above-described configuration, when the antenna is switched according to the reception state, it is possible to obtain a wireless communication device in which the contact of the micro contact switch is difficult to adhere and the contact is less deteriorated.

  As is clear from the above, according to the micro contact switch of the present invention, even if the total number of times of opening and closing is increased, it is possible to prevent the contacts from adhering to each other and prevent the contacts from being separated, and to provide an integrated circuit on the substrate. It is possible to realize a micro-contact switch that can be incorporated as a part of.

  In addition, according to the wireless communication device of the present invention, the switching of the antenna for selecting an antenna with good reception state, and the switching of the micro contact of the present invention to switch the connection with the antenna to either the receiving unit or the transmitting unit. By using the device, it is possible to realize a highly reliable wireless communication device in which contacts at the time of antenna switching and transmission / reception switching are difficult to adhere and contact deterioration is small.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the micro contact switch according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1A shows the non-driving time, the solid line in FIG. 1B shows the driving time of the driving unit 116, and the dotted line shows the driving time of the driving unit 119.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the micro contact switch according to the first embodiment is formed on a substrate 110, a fixed contact 115 formed on the substrate 110, and a substrate 110 side. Formed on the substrate 110, a support plate 127 joined via a support unit (drive unit 119), a movable plate 113 having a movable part 128 separated from the substrate 110, drive units 116 and 119 for driving the movable plate 113, and the substrate 110. A movable contact 114 formed on the movable portion 128 of the movable plate 113 is provided so as to face the fixed contact 115 formed at a distance.

  The substrate 110 is a substrate selected from any of a silicon substrate or a GaAs substrate on which an insulating film is formed, a ceramic substrate such as alumina, or a substrate made of an insulating material such as glass epoxy resin. A fixed contact 115 made of a conductive material is formed thereon.

  Here, an electrostatic actuator composed of a lower fixed electrode 118 formed on the substrate 110 side and an upper movable electrode 117 formed on the movable plate 113 side is used for the driving unit 116. The driving unit 119 uses a piezoelectric actuator composed of a lower electrode layer 126, a piezoelectric layer 125 made of a sliding deformation type piezoelectric member, and an upper electrode layer 124. The drive unit 119 also serves as a support unit.

  When no potential difference is applied between the upper movable electrode 117 and the lower fixed electrode 118 of the driving unit 116 and between the upper electrode layer 124 and the lower electrode layer 126 of the driving unit 119, that is, when not driving, The movable contact 114 and the fixed contact 115, and the upper movable electrode 117 and the lower fixed electrode 118 are kept facing each other at a predetermined distance and separated.

  A preferred example of the dimensions of each part of the micro contact switch according to the first embodiment will be described. The thickness of the conductive layer formed on the substrate 110 such as the fixed contact 115 and the lower fixed electrode 118 is 1 μm. The length of the support part (drive part 119) is 250 μm, the width is 250 μm, and the height is 10 μm. The length of the movable plate 113 is about 570 μm, the width is about 100 μm, and the thickness is about 2 μm. The thickness of the upper movable electrode 117 and the movable contact 114 is 1 μm.

  Here, a potential difference is applied between the upper movable electrode 117 and the lower fixed electrode 118 (hereinafter, this case is referred to as driving). Then, electrostatic attractive force is generated between both electrodes, and as shown in FIG. 1B, the upper movable electrode 117 is attracted to the lower fixed electrode 118, and the movable plate 113 is bent, whereby the fixed contact 115 and the movable contact are formed. 114 contacts. At this time, when a potential difference is applied to the upper electrode layer 124 and the lower electrode layer 126 of the driving unit 119 to drive the driving unit 119, the movable contact 114 is slid along the surface of the fixed contact 115 as indicated by a dotted line. Can be made.

  Thereby, when the total number of times of switching increases, the problem that the movable contact 114 and the fixed contact 115 adhere to each other and the contact cannot be separated can be solved.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-249157 discloses a method for suppressing adhesion caused by sliding of the contact surface by changing the metal composition of the surface layer so that the hardness of the surface metal of the movable contact and the fixed contact is different. Yes. Suppression of adhesion is due to the fact that metal surfaces having different hardnesses generate scratches on the surface due to sliding and the contact area decreases. In the cantilever method, the sliding of the contact is slight, but according to the first embodiment, the surface can be moved by applying a force along the surface. Not only suppresses adhesion, but also stabilizes contact characteristics.

  Here, when the movable contact 114 is moved along the surface of the fixed contact 115, these contact surfaces are parallel to the substrate 110. As a result, the metal film of the fixed electrode 115 and the movable contact 114 is formed on a plane parallel to the substrate 110. Therefore, when forming the electrode by sputtering or plating, a dense, uniform and flat film can be easily obtained. Easy to obtain a film with stable contact resistance.

  Further, FIG. 2 shows a configuration when the contact surface of the movable contact and the fixed contact of the micro contact switch is inclined with respect to the substrate. FIG. 2A shows an example in which the fixed contact 115 is provided on the inclined surface 110a that gradually decreases from the support portion side of the movable portion 113 toward the outside, and FIG. 2B shows the support portion side of the movable portion 113. FIG. 2C shows an example in which the fixed contact 115 is provided on the side surface of the stepped portion 110b whose outer side is lowered from FIG. 2C. FIG. This is an example in which a contact 115 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, when the movable contact 114 is moved along the surface of the fixed contact 115, these contact surfaces can be arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the substrate 110. . In this case, it is necessary to form a stepped surface on the substrate 110 side. This makes it possible to lengthen the moving distance of the movable contact 114 along the surface of the fixed contact 115 as compared to the parallel case. The angle of inclination may exceed 90 degrees, and the inclined surface may have an overhang shape. However, since it becomes difficult to form a dense, homogeneous and flat electrode film, it is preferably set to 110 degrees ( Overhanging shape over 90 degrees).

  Furthermore, for example, if the tilt angle is set to a low value in the range of 45 degrees to 0 degrees (parallel to the substrate), the setting for increasing the force for pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact is greater than the distance to move the movable contact along the fixed contact. On the other hand, by setting the inclination angle to a high range from 45 degrees to 90 degrees, the force for pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact is weakened, and the movable contact is moved along the fixed contact. It is also possible to set the distance longer.

  This makes it possible to manufacture a plurality of contacts with the same contact material on the same substrate, and to perform the same drive operation with the same drive unit according to the electrical load and the number of times of use of each contact. As a whole, it is possible to optimize and manufacture so that the number of repeated use of each contact is increased.

  However, the main driving force of the driving unit 116 is configured to work in a substantially vertical direction with respect to the substrate 110. Accordingly, the lower fixed electrode 118 and the upper movable electrode 117 of the electrostatic actuator that generates the driving force can be configured on the plane of the substrate 110, and it is easy to secure an electrode area and form a narrow electrode interval, which is strong. Easy to obtain driving force.

  In the first embodiment, an electrostatic actuator is used for the drive unit 116. However, the method of the actuator is not necessarily limited to this, and any force capable of driving the movable plate in the vertical direction can be obtained. Whether it is a piezoelectric type with a piezoelectric material formed on the movable plate or a thermal type that combines materials with different thermal expansion coefficients on the movable plate, a magnetic field method that attracts the movable electrode with a magnetic field generated by a coil or the like However, it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained.

  In the first embodiment, a piezoelectric actuator is used for the drive unit 119. However, since the drive unit 119 can be formed by stacking the piezoelectric material 125 and the electrode materials 124 and 126, the formation on the substrate 110 is possible. Since it is easy and can be formed on the support portion 127 of the movable plate 113, and since the deformed portion as shown in FIGS. The area is small and the size can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
Fig.3 (a) is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the micro contact switch of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 3A, the micro contact switch according to the second embodiment is formed on a substrate 10, a fixed contact 15 formed on the substrate 10, and a substrate 10. A movable plate 13 having a support portion 8 joined to the substrate 10 via an electrode 17 and a movable portion 7 separated from the substrate 10, a drive unit 6 for driving the movable plate 13, and a movable portion 7 of the movable plate 13 on the substrate 10. A movable contact 14 is provided so as to face the formed fixed contact 15 at a distance.

  The substrate 10 is a substrate selected from a silicon substrate or a GaAs substrate on which an insulating film is formed, a ceramic substrate such as alumina, or a substrate made of an insulating material such as glass epoxy resin, and a conductive material thereon. A fixed contact 15 made of a material having a property is formed.

  The driving unit 6 uses an electrostatic actuator composed of a lower fixed electrode 16 formed on the substrate 10 side and an upper movable electrode 19 formed on the movable plate 13 side. Further, the movable plate 13 has a deformed portion 18 in the vicinity of the support portion 8.

  When no potential difference is applied between the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 of the drive unit 6, that is, when not driven, the movable contact 14 and the fixed contact 15, and the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 are Each is kept in a state of being separated and facing each other at a predetermined distance.

  The electrode 17 is used to control the potential of the movable plate 13 and the like. The configuration of the electrode 17 is not limited to this, and the electrode 17 may be disposed above the support portion 8 of the movable plate 13 and drawn out to the substrate 10 side.

  The suitable example of each part dimension of the micro contact switch in this 2nd Embodiment is shown. The thickness of the conductive layer formed on the substrate such as the fixed contact 15 and the lower fixed electrode 16 is 6 μm, the length of the support portion 8 is 70 μm, and the width is 100 μm. The length of the movable plate 13 is about 570 μm, the width is about 200 μm, and the thickness is about 2 μm. Further, the step of the deformed portion 18 is about 14 μm. The thickness of the upper movable electrode 19 and the movable contact 14 is 5 μm.

  Here, the contact opening / closing operation of the second embodiment will be described. When a potential difference is applied between the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16, an electrostatic attractive force is generated between the two electrodes, and the upper movable electrode 19 is connected to the lower fixed electrode 16 as shown in FIG. The fixed contact 15 and the movable contact 14 come into contact with each other when the movable plate 13 is attracted and bent. At this time, the structure (the local elastic constant near the support portion is low) is designed so that at least the deformation portion 18 is not greatly deformed at this stage, and the movable plate 13 is mainly located near the support portion 8. Bend.

  Further, when the potential difference between the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 is increased, the vicinity of the deformed portion 18 of the movable plate 13 is greatly deformed as shown in FIG. With the contact 14 being rubbed, the movable contact 14 can be slid along the surface of the fixed contact 15. From the state of FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B, since the restoring force of the movable plate 13 is small, the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 can be brought close to each other with a low voltage. 3 (b) to FIG. 3 (c), the restoring force of the movable plate 13 increases. However, since the upper movable electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 are sufficiently close to each other, the same restoring force is obtained. The drive voltage can be lowered compared to the case where another movable plate having the upper movable electrode and the lower fixed electrode shown in FIG. 3A is driven from a non-driven position. When the fixed contact 15 and the movable contact 14 are separated, the movable contact 14 can be made to slide after being slid along the fixed contact 15 by a strong restoring force due to the deformation of the deformable portion 18 of the movable plate 13. As a result, a strong restoring force is obtained on the movable plate 13 when the contact is separated, and a force to move along the surface of the fixed contact 15 acts. Therefore, when the total number of times of switching increases, The problem that the movable contact 14 adheres and the contact cannot be separated can be solved.

  Here, when the movable contact 14 is slid along the surface of the fixed contact 15, these contact surfaces are parallel to the substrate 10. As a result, since the metal film of the fixed electrode 15 and the movable contact 14 is formed on a plane parallel to the substrate 10, when forming the electrode by sputtering or plating, a dense, uniform and flat film can be easily formed. It is easy to obtain and it is easy to obtain a film with stable contact resistance.

  Here, preferably, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the tip of the movable plate 13 provided with the movable contact 14 is brought into contact with the fixed contact 15 at an angle. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the vicinity of the deformed portion 18 of the movable plate 13 is further greatly deformed and slid while pressing the movable contact 14 against the fixed contact 15, the movable contact 14 is moved from the fixed contact 15. It can be made to contact reliably so as not to leave.

  Further, as in the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, when the movable contact is moved along the surface of the fixed contact, these contact surfaces are inclined with respect to the substrate. Can be arranged. Although the step surface must be formed on the substrate side, the moving distance of the movable contact along the surface of the fixed contact can be increased as compared with the parallel surface. In addition, the angle of inclination can exceed 90 degrees, and the inclined surface can be formed in an overhang shape. However, since it becomes difficult to form a dense, homogeneous and flat electrode film, it is preferably set to 110 degrees. (Over-hang shape when over 90 degrees).

  Furthermore, for example, if the tilt angle is set to a low value in the range of 45 degrees to 0 degrees (parallel to the substrate), the setting for increasing the force for pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact is greater than the distance to move the movable contact along the fixed contact. On the other hand, by setting the inclination angle to a high range from 45 degrees to 90 degrees, the force for pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact is weakened, and the movable contact is moved along the fixed contact. It is also possible to set the distance longer. As a result, even when manufacturing multiple contacts with the same contact material on the same substrate, the inclination angle of each contact is changed according to the electrical load and the number of uses of each contact, It is possible to optimize and manufacture such that the number of repeated use of the contact is increased.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the driving unit 6 has a lower fixed electrode 16 and an upper movable electrode 19 formed substantially parallel to the substrate 10, and the main driving force of the driving unit 6 is relative to the substrate. Are configured to work in a substantially vertical direction. According to this micro-contact switch, since the electrodes for generating the driving force are configured on a plane parallel to the substrate 10, it is easy to secure the electrode area and form a narrow electrode interval, and a strong driving force can be obtained. It becomes easy to manufacture the drive unit.

  In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a piezoelectric actuator that provides a driving force for sliding the movable contact along the fixed contact is not used. By forming the deforming portion 18 in the vertical direction, the driving portion 6 of the electrostatic actuator that drives in the vertical direction can generate a driving force that works not only in the vertical direction but also in the horizontal direction on the contact surface of the substrate 10. . Therefore, since the piezoelectric actuator is not used, the process can be simplified without using a piezoelectric material.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the deformed portion 18 has a linear bent structure, but may be formed of a curved bent structure, a corrugated surface, or an uneven surface. Even if these elastically deformable bent portions are used, the elastic constant of the deformable portion 18 in the movable plate 13 can be slightly increased, and the deformable portion 18 is almost deformed at the initial stage when the movable plate 13 is driven. Therefore, the movable plate 13 can be brought closer to the substrate 10 side. And after the movable contact 14 contacts the fixed contact 15, the deformation | transformation part 18 can be deform | transformed largely. As a result, a strong recovery force can be obtained when the contacts are separated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the movable plate 13 is displaced in the direction opposite to the fixed contact 15 with respect to the movable contact 14 in the direction in which the movable contact 14 and the fixed contact 15 face each other. Alternatively, it is formed so that the distance between the movable plate 13 and the substrate 10 is increased, or the upper drive electrode 19 and the lower fixed electrode 16 are expanded. Thereby, it is possible to obtain a longer distance for moving the movable contact 14 along the surface of the fixed contact 15.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the driving unit 6 is preferably formed in the vicinity of the deforming unit 18. Accordingly, the driving force can be efficiently used for the deformation of the deformable portion 18, and when the movable contact 14 is slid along the fixed contact 15, sliding can be performed with strong pressing.

  Note that the position of the driving unit may be in the vicinity of the deforming unit, and may not be on the movable contact 14 side with respect to the deforming unit. For example, FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the micro contact switch according to the second embodiment when the arrangement of the deformed portions is different, FIG. 4 (a) shows a non-driven state, and FIG. FIG. 4C shows the driving state. As shown in FIG. 4 (a), this micro contact switch is formed on a substrate 10, a fixed contact 15 formed on the substrate 10, and on the substrate 10 with an electrode 17 interposed therebetween. A movable plate 43 having a deformed portion 48 separated from the bonded support portion 38 and the substrate 10, a drive unit 36 for driving the movable plate 43, and a fixed contact 15 formed on the substrate 10 at the deformed portion 48 of the movable plate 43. And a movable contact 14 formed so as to be opposed to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 4 (a), even if the drive unit 36 is on the support portion 38 side with respect to the deformable portion 48, as long as the position is in the vicinity of the deformable portion 48, FIG. ), The driving force can be efficiently used for the deformation of the deformation portion 48, and when the movable contact 14 is slid along the fixed contact 15, sliding can be performed with strong pressing.

  However, when arranged as shown in FIG. 4A, the area of the upper movable electrode 49 and the lower fixed electrode 46 needs to be increased in order to increase the driving force of the driving unit 36 to a required level. The angle of the bent portion of the deformable portion 48 cannot be increased so much that the moving distance of the movable contact 14 in the horizontal direction becomes smaller than that of the micro contact switch shown in FIG. Therefore, it is preferable to arrange the deforming part and the driving part as shown in FIG.

  In a more preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5A, the movable plate 63 has an intermediate fulcrum 59, and when the movable plate 63 is driven using the drive unit 56, the movable plate 63 is moved to the substrate 10 side. It comes to touch. The contact timing may be before or after the movable contact 14 contacts the fixed contact 15, but preferably a little after the movable contact 14 contacts the fixed contact 15. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the distance between the upper movable electrode 69 and the lower fixed electrode 66 at the stage where the intermediate fulcrum 59 is in contact is narrowed, and the intermediate fulcrum 59 is in contact with the substrate 10. The drive voltage required for the subsequent push-in can be lowered. However, if it is too late, the burden on the vicinity of the supporting portion where the spring is weak becomes large and causes buckling. Therefore, it is preferable immediately after the movable contact 14 contacts the fixed contact 15. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the movable contact 14 is pressed against the fixed contact 15, a strong sliding force can be applied while preventing buckling in the vicinity of the weak support portion of the spring.

  The support portion 58 of the movable plate 63 is joined to the substrate 10 via the electrode 17 and the support portion 52. The support portion 52 serves as a spacer for ensuring a sufficient distance between the movable plate 63 and the substrate 10, but the support portion 52 may not be provided as long as the distance can be ensured by the shape of the movable portion 63.

  More preferably, as shown in FIGS. 3 (c), 4 (c), and 5 (c), when the movable contact 14 is pressed after contact with the fixed contact 15, the respective drive units 6, 36, 56 are used. The electrostatic actuator is driven until the upper movable electrode and the lower fixed electrode come into contact with each other. The approaching and contacting of the electrodes of the electrostatic actuator in this way is called pull-in. Even if it is not pulled in, it can be slid to the movable contact 14 in the lateral direction, but by driving to the pull-in state, the position of the upper movable electrode is stabilized, so that it is slid by a stable actuator operation. be able to.

  Further, for example, a plurality of deforming portions 68 shown in FIG. 5 can be provided in the length direction of the movable plate 63. This makes the structure and operation somewhat complicated, but it is also possible to increase the sliding distance or change the sliding position by changing the number of driving units to drive, stabilizing contact resistance or contact It is effective in suppressing resistance degradation.

  Furthermore, according to the embodiment of the present invention, even when the movable contact 14 and the fixed contact 15 are bonded, the movable contact 14 is moved along the surface of the fixed contact 15 by increasing or decreasing the driving force of the electrostatic actuator. The direction of movement or the magnitude of the force to be moved can be changed, and recovery from adhesion is facilitated as compared with the case where force is applied only in one direction. As a result, the contact can be opened and closed more repeatedly.

  Here, the effect of sliding of the contacts in the present invention will be described.

  Also in the movable plate 103 of the conventional micro-contact switch as shown in FIG. 11, when the movable contact 104 comes into contact with the fixed contact 105, it contacts with a slight inclination. Can happen. However, in practice, almost no sliding occurs. As an example, assuming that the length of the movable plate 103 is 570 μm and the gap between the movable contact 104 and the fixed contact 105 is 15 μm, there is no friction when the movable contact 104 comes into contact with the fixed contact 105 and is further pushed in. Even assuming that the surface slides smoothly, the moving distance of the movable contact 104 along the surface of the fixed contact 105 is less than 50 nm. In fact, it can be said that there is almost no movement due to surface friction.

  On the other hand, according to the micro contact switch according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, when the movable contact 14 is pushed into the fixed contact 15, the deformable portion 68 is deformed. The contact 14 can be moved along the fixed contact 15 by about 5 μm to 10 μm. Moreover, since it is possible to give a strong sliding force as described above, it is possible to reduce the degree of deterioration by repeating the sliding against electrode deterioration due to arc discharge or the like. In addition, it is possible to apply force in the direction along the surface even during the opening operation, which is effective in preventing adhesion.

  In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-245564, two sliding plates in which a conductor portion and an insulating portion are arranged in parallel are brought into contact with each other and moved in parallel with the surface to bring the conductor portions into contact with each other, or between the conductor portion and the insulating portion. There has been disclosed a switch that allows an electric current to flow or shut off while preventing arc discharge by making contact. However, since both the conductor part and the insulating part require a material with excellent wear resistance, the material process becomes complicated or expensive, and it is necessary to perform sliding with less wear such as using a lubricant. Therefore, stable recovery of contact resistance due to strong sliding cannot be performed. In addition, since the contacts are opened and closed while reciprocating between the conductor part and the insulating part, when switching is repeated, even if slight wear occurs due to sliding, the adjacent conductor part and insulating part affect each other. In addition, problems such as an increase in resistance at the time of turning on and a deterioration in breakdown voltage at the time of turning off tend to occur.

  However, according to the micro contact switch according to the embodiment of the present invention, only the contact portion slides, so that the material process is not complicated, and deterioration of on-resistance due to wear of the adjacent insulating portion can be prevented. Further, at the time of separation, the fixed contact and the movable contact are completely separated by a sufficient gap, so that a high and stable breakdown voltage can be obtained.

  Next, a method for manufacturing the micro contact switch shown in FIG. 5 of the second embodiment using a semiconductor manufacturing process will be described. FIG. 6 shows a process cross-sectional view of the micro contact switch. Hereinafter, description will be made based on this drawing.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a resist is formed on a portion other than a region where a first electrode layer including a fixed contact 21 and a lower fixed electrode 22 is formed on a silicon substrate 20 on which an insulating film is formed. Then, the fixed contact 21, the lower fixed electrode 22, the electrode 23, and the like are formed of a gold alloy by using a plating method or a sputtering method. Next, a silicon oxide film is deposited by plasma CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) or a coating method, and the sacrificial layer 24 is formed by patterning the silicon oxide film by dry etching using a fluorine-based gas with a resist as a mask. Form. At this time, the tapered shape of the sacrificial layer 24 is formed by utilizing an undercut formed under the resist mask. Then, a silicon oxide film 25 is deposited.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the silicon oxide film 25 is etched back using the resist mask 26 (27 and 28 portions in the figure are removed).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6C, after removing the resist mask 26, a support portion 31 made of a conductive material is formed in the removed portion 27. Next, a resist is applied to a portion other than the region where the second electrode layer including the movable contact 30 and the upper movable electrode 29 is formed, and a gold alloy and Ti are deposited using a plating method or a sputtering method, and plasma CVD is performed. A silicon nitride film is deposited by the method, and the movable contact 30 and the upper movable electrode 29 are formed. Then, the movable plate 32 is formed by depositing tungsten nitride by a reactive sputtering method. Next, by removing the sacrificial layer 24 and the silicon oxide film 25, the micro contact switch shown in FIG. 5 is formed. A dry etching method using hydrogen fluoride gas can be applied to the removal of the sacrificial layer.

  The movable plate 32 includes a silicon single crystal, a polycrystalline silicon film, amorphous silicon, a SiGe film, a SiC film, a conductive material such as Ni or tungsten, or an insulating material such as a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film. It is also possible to use a conductive material (however, when a conductive material is used, it is necessary to be electrically insulated from the movable contact 14). Here, tungsten nitride is used as a preferred embodiment of the movable plate 13.

Next, the effect of using a material containing nitrogen in a refractory metal such as tungsten will be described. The tungsten nitride film can be deposited by a reactive sputtering method. For example, the tungsten nitride film can be deposited under the conditions of a sputtering pressure of 2 Pa, an RF power of 300 W, an Ar flow rate of 33.6 sccm, an N ₂ flow rate of 8.4 sccm, and a substrate temperature.

  In US Pat. No. 6,210,998, a SiGe film formed by LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) is used to form a microstructure having a residual stress controlled at about 550 ° C., which is lower than that of a polysilicon film. Is disclosed to be possible. However, in the case of tungsten containing nitrogen used here, since the sputtering method is used, it is possible to reduce the temperature to about room temperature, and a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) is formed on the Si substrate. Substrates not only on LSI (Large Scale Integrated circuit) manufactured by the semiconductor process, but also through low heat resistance processes such as Cu wiring and low dielectric constant organic insulating films such as glass substrates and resin substrates In addition, it is possible to produce a micro contact switch as shown in FIG. Compared to other metal materials, for example, when only tungsten material is used, it is difficult to control the film quality in the growth direction, so it is difficult to control the internal stress, and a load such as stress is applied from the outside. In this case, defects such as cracking occur, and deformation and destruction are likely to occur. As described above, it has been difficult to ensure the reliability required for the movable plate that repeatedly performs opening and closing of the contacts.

However, when nitrogen is contained in tungsten, the film composition and the like can be easily changed by N ₂ partial pressure, sputtering pressure, or the like. When measured with an indentation type thin film test apparatus, the Young's modulus changes from 360 GPa to about 250 GPa by changing the nitrogen content from 0% to about 60%, but it still has a higher Young's modulus than polysilicon and SiGe films. Is confirmed to be obtained.

  Moreover, the residual stress in the film could be changed from tensile stress to compressive stress by changing the sputtering pressure. Therefore, layers having different residual stresses and compositions can be grown continuously or intermittently, and the residual stress in the film can be almost eliminated. In addition, since films with different compositions and grain states can be stacked in the growth direction, it is difficult to penetrate the film easily even if a defect occurs due to external stress, etc., and the resistance of the micro movable part to deformation and breakage due to cracking etc. I was able to increase.

  Here, nitrogen is contained in tungsten, but this effect is not limited to this. It is obvious that the addition of not only nitrogen but also carbon and oxygen can be easily performed by the reactive sputtering method, and the same effect can be expected. The same effect can be expected by using not only tungsten but also other metals such as tantalum, molybdenum, titanium, nickel, and aluminum, but high melting points such as tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, and titanium that can achieve high Young's modulus. Metal is preferable as a material for the cantilever (movable plate 113).

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The micro-contact switch according to the third embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5A, but a thermal actuator 33 is used for the drive part of the movable plate 63. . In FIG. 7, the same components as those in FIG. 5 (a) are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  Here, the nickel film 34 is formed on the deformable portion 68 as a material having a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the movable plate 63. An electrostatic actuator is used for the drive unit 56 that brings the movable contact 14 into contact with the fixed contact 15.

  When the movable contact 14 comes into contact with the fixed contact 15, the nickel film 34 or the vicinity of the deformed portion 68 is heated by, for example, a resistance heating type micro heater (not shown) connected to the nickel film 34, and the thermal actuator 33. Is driven, the deforming portion 68 extends in the length direction of the movable plate 63 so as to alleviate the step of the movable plate 63. Thereby, the movable contact 14 can be moved along the surface of the fixed contact 15. Compared to the case of FIG. 5A, the electrostatic actuator and the thermal actuator 33 of the drive unit 56 can be driven separately. It is possible to repeat the opening and closing operation of the contact by reducing the number of movements, and the durability of the contact can be improved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, the deformable portion 68 can be extended by providing the thermal actuator 33 with a material having a smaller thermal expansion coefficient than that of the movable plate 63, for example, the silicon nitride film 35. By combining with the nickel film 34 having a large thermal expansion coefficient as shown in FIG. 7A, the film can be extended with a stronger force.

  In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. 7, it is possible to change the electrostatic actuator used in each drive mechanism 6, 36, 56 to a thermal actuator. However, since the speed of the contact opening / closing operation is slow, an electrostatic actuator is employed here.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a micro contact switch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 (a) shows a non-driven state, and FIG. 8 (b) shows a driven portion 98 driven. FIG. 8C shows the driving of the drive unit 99. In the micro contact switch according to the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, both ends of a movable plate 91 are joined to a substrate 90 via a support portion 92 and an electrode 97. The fixed contact 95 is disposed so as to face the movable contact 94 at the center and the movable contact 94 on the substrate 90 side. Further, electrostatic actuators 98 and 99 are provided on both sides of the contact portions (94, 95) as driving portions of the movable plate 91, and can be moved by operating these two electrostatic actuators. The contact 94 is configured to be able to contact and separate from the fixed contact 95.

  Next, the contact opening / closing operation in the fourth embodiment will be described. First, after one of the electrostatic actuators 98 and 99, for example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the electrostatic actuator 98 is driven first to bring the movable contact 94 into contact with the fixed contact 95. The other electrostatic actuator 99 is driven. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8C, the movable contact 94 can be moved along the surface of the fixed contact 95 in a state of being in contact with the fixed contact 95. According to the fourth embodiment, by driving the two actuators separately or alternately, the movable contact 94 can be moved along the surface of the fixed contact 95 while repeatedly changing the direction. It is possible to suppress the deterioration of the contact resistance of the contact, and to prevent the adhesion of the contact and increase the number of times the contact can be used repeatedly.

  Furthermore, the combined operation of the two electrostatic actuators 98 and 99, that is, the strength of pressing the fixed contact 95 of the movable contact 94 by combining the driving forces of the two electrostatic actuators 98 and 99 can be controlled. The direction and distance of movement of the movable contact 94 can be controlled by the superiority or inferiority of the driving forces of the two electrostatic actuators 98 and 99. This makes it possible to change the contact pressing force and the degree of sliding according to the electrical load applied to the contact and the deterioration of the contact, and when driving two electrostatic actuators simultaneously with the same driving force, It is also possible to open and close the contacts while suppressing sliding. By switching these contact opening / closing operations according to the contact state and the contact load, it is possible to suppress contact deterioration and to suppress contact adhesion and to increase the number of times the contact can be used repeatedly.

  In the fourth embodiment, the electrostatic actuator is used as the driving unit of the micro movable unit. However, the driving unit is not limited to this, and the piezoelectric actuator shown in FIG. 1 or the driving unit shown in FIG. It is clear that the same effect can be obtained even if such a thermal actuator is arranged on both sides of the contact.

(Fifth embodiment)
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the micro contact switch according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9A shows a non-driven state, and FIG. Show. As shown in FIG. 9A, the micro-contact switch according to the fifth embodiment has a support portion 72 that can be rotated on a substrate 70 by twisting or the like at a fulcrum portion 73 at the center of the movable plate 78. It is supported by. Movable contacts 71 and 81 are formed at both ends of the movable plate 78, and fixed contacts 75 and 74 are formed at positions facing the movable substrate 78 on the substrate 70 side, respectively. The drive part of the movable plate 78 is arranged on both sides of the support part 72. Here, electrostatic actuators 80 and 77 are used for the drive part. Then, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the movable plate 78 is formed with deformed portions 82 and 83, respectively.

  Accordingly, when one of the electrostatic actuators 80 and 77, for example, as shown in FIG. 9B, is driven, the movable contact 81 on the side of the driven electrostatic actuator 77 is fixed. By contacting the contact 74 and further driving the electrostatic actuator 77 to deform the deformation portion 83, the contact can be closed so as to move along the surface of the fixed contact 74. On the other hand, the contact on the side of the electrostatic actuator 80 that is not driven is in an open state. Conversely, when the electrostatic actuator 80 is driven and the electrostatic actuator 77 is not driven, the movable contact 71 and the fixed contact 75 are brought into contact with each other, and the movable contact 81 and the fixed contact 74 can be brought into a separated state. . Thus, according to the fifth embodiment, the two contacts can be switched and opened / closed.

  In the micro contact switch according to the fifth embodiment, since the movable plate 78 is an elastic body, the contacts at both ends can be simultaneously brought into contact by simultaneously driving the electrostatic actuators 77 and 80. is there. As a result, it is possible to perform contact operations in four patterns: both contact opening, only one contact contacting, and both contact contacting.

  Furthermore, in the micro contact switch according to the fifth embodiment, in the micro contact switch that alternately opens and closes two contacts as shown in FIG. 9, between the fulcrum portion 73 and the deformation portion 82 and between the fulcrum portion 73 and the deformation. Electrostatic actuators 79 and 76 are provided between the unit 83 and the unit 83. As shown in FIG. 9A, the electrostatic actuators 79 and 76 include electrostatic actuators 80 and 80 disposed between the deforming portion 82 and the movable contact 71 and between the deforming portion 83 and the movable contact 81, respectively. Compared to 77, the electrode spacing during non-driving is reduced. Thus, for example, when the movable contact 81 is brought into contact with the fixed contact 74, the electrostatic actuator 76 with a narrow electrode interval is driven first, which is lower than when the electrostatic actuator 77 with a wide electrode interval is driven. It can be driven by voltage. Further, when driving with the same voltage, higher-speed contact operation is possible.

  And when moving along the surface of the fixed contact 74 in a state where the movable contact 81 is in contact, the electrostatic actuator 77 having a wide electrode interval is driven. As a result, the electrostatic actuator 77 can be started at a lower voltage than when it is started from a non-driven state, and the electrode spacing is wider than that of the electrostatic actuator 76. Is given.

  Further, when the movable contact 81 is separated, the electrostatic actuator 79 having a narrow electrode interval is driven, so that the driving force is large compared with the case where the movable plate 81 is separated only by the restoring force of the movable plate 78 and a high-speed separation operation is performed. It becomes possible. Further, it can be driven at a lower voltage than when the electrostatic actuator 80 having a wide electrode interval is driven.

  Here, the micro contact switch for switching the contacts at both ends is shown as an example. However, the micro contact switch of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the micro contact switch using a cantilever as shown in FIG. Also in the container, by providing an electrostatic actuator having a narrower electrode spacing than the electrostatic actuator 19 between the support portion 52 and the deforming portion 68, the contact operation of the movable contact 14 and the surface of the fixed contact 15 are provided. It is clear that the same effect can be obtained in the movement operation.

(Sixth embodiment)
FIG. 10 shows a configuration diagram of a wireless communication device using the micro contact switch according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication device according to the sixth embodiment transmits a transmission signal from the transmission unit 223, a reception unit 224, and the transmission unit 223 as a radio wave and 2 for receiving a reception signal to the reception unit 224 as a radio wave. Two micro-contact switches 220, 220 having one end connected to each of the two antennas 230, 230 and the other antennas 230, 230, and the other ends connected to each other, and the other two micro-contact switches 220, 220 Two micro-contact switches 222, 222 each having one end connected to the end are provided. The micro contact switch 220, 220 and 222, 222 uses the micro contact switch of the present invention.

  The output of the transmission unit 223 is connected to one end of the mixer 225, and the other end of the mixer 225 is connected to the input of the amplifier 228. The output of the amplifier 228 is connected to the input of the band pass filter 226, and the output of the band pass filter 226 is connected to the input of the power amplifier 227. The output of the power amplifier 227 is connected to the other end of one micro contact switch 222. The other end of the other micro contact switch 222 is connected to the input of the low noise amplifier 231, and the output of the low noise amplifier 231 is connected to the input of the band pass filter 232. The output of the band pass filter 232 is connected to one end of the mixer 233, the other end of the mixer 233 is connected to the input of the amplifier 235, and the output of the amplifier 235 is connected to the input of the receiving unit 224. A local oscillation signal from a PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) oscillation circuit 234 is supplied to the mixers 225 and 233.

  In the wireless communication device having the above configuration, at the time of transmission, the transmission signal from the transmission unit 223 is modulated based on the high-frequency local oscillation signal from the PLL oscillation circuit 234, mixed by the mixer 225, and converted to a specific frequency. Other unnecessary frequency signals are removed by the band-pass filter 226, amplified by the power amplifier 227, and then transmitted from the antenna 230 via the micro-contact switch 222 on the transmission side and the micro-contact switch 220 on the antenna side. Sent.

  On the other hand, at the time of reception, a signal input from the antenna 230 on the side connected by the micro contact switch 220 is amplified by the low noise amplifier 231 via the micro contact switch 222 on the reception side, and an unnecessary frequency is applied to the band pass filter 232. After removing the signal, the high frequency local oscillation signal from the PLL oscillation circuit 234 and the signal are mixed by the mixer 233, and the reception signal converted into the reception frequency is supplied to the reception unit 224.

  As described above, the micro-contact switch 220 or 220 of the present invention is used for antenna switching for selecting the antenna 230 having a good reception state, and the antenna 230 and the receiving unit 224 are connected or the antenna 230 and the transmitting unit 223 are connected. By using the micro-contact switch 222, 222 of the present invention to switch the connection of the micro-contact switch of the micro-contact switch at the time of antenna switching or transmission / reception switching compared to the case of using the conventional micro-contact switch It is possible to obtain a highly reliable wireless communication device in which the contact is difficult to adhere and the contact is less deteriorated.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 10, an RF (radio frequency) transmission / reception method is used. However, the transmission / reception method is not limited to this, and the micro-contact switch of the present invention is capable of switching between antennas and between an antenna and a transmitter. The effect is obtained when the connection or the connection between the antenna and the receiving unit is switched, and it is clear that the same effect can be obtained even with other transmission / reception methods, not depending on the transmission / reception method.

  In addition, when there is one antenna, the micro contact switch 220 for switching the antenna is not necessary, and even if the micro contact switch 220 is not provided, the effect of the micro contact switch 222 for switching transmission / reception is not changed. Needless to say.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 (a) is a view showing a non-driven state, and a solid line in FIG. 116 shows the driving time of 116, and the dotted line shows the driving time of the driving unit 119. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration when the contact surface of the movable contact and the fixed contact of the micro contact switch is inclined with respect to the substrate. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 (a) is a view showing a non-driven state, and FIG. FIG. 3 (c) is a diagram showing a driving state. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the micro contact switch in the case where the arrangement of the deformed portions is different, FIG. 4 (a) is a diagram showing a non-driven state, and FIG. FIG. 4 (c) is a diagram showing a driving state. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the micro-contact switch having an intermediate fulcrum, FIG. 5 (a) is a diagram showing a non-driven state, and FIG. 5 (b) is a diagram showing a middle of driving. FIG. 5 (c) is a diagram showing the driving time. FIG. 6 is a process cross-sectional view illustrating a manufacturing method of the micro contact switch shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 (a) is a diagram showing a non-driven state, and FIG. 8 (b) is a drive of a drive unit. FIG. 8 (c) is a diagram showing the time when the drive unit is driven. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a micro contact switch according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 (a) is a diagram showing a non-driven state, and FIG. 9 (b) is a drive of a drive unit. It is a figure which shows time. FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a wireless communication device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional micro contact switch.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 6 ... Drive part 7 ... Movable part 8 ... Support part 10 ... Substrate 13 ... Movable plate 14 ... Movable contact 15 ... Fixed contact 16 ... Lower fixed electrode 17 ... Electrode 18 ... Deformation part 19 ... Upper movable electrode 20 ... Silicon substrate 21 ... Fixed contact 22 ... Lower fixed electrode 23 ... Electrode 24 ... Sacrificial layer 25 ... Silicon oxide film 26 ... Resist mask 29 ... Upper movable electrode 30 ... Movable contact 31 ... Supporting part 32 ... Movable plate 33 ... Thermal actuator 34 ... Nickel film 35 ... Silicon nitride film 36 ... Drive part 38 ... Supporting part 43 ... Moving plate 48 ... Deformation part 49 ... Upper movable electrode 46 ... Lower fixed electrode 52 ... Supporting part 56 ... Drive part 58 ... Supporting part 59 ... Intermediate fulcrum 63 ... Moving plate 66 ... Lower fixed electrode 68 ... Deformation part 69 ... Upper movable electrode 70 ... Substrate 71, 81 ... Movable contact 72 ... Support part 73 ... Supporting point part 74, 75 ... Fixed contact 76, 77, 79, 80 ... Electrostatic actuator 78 ... Movable plate 82, 83 ... Deformed portion 90 ... Substrate 91 ... Movable plate 92 ... Supporting portion 94 ... Movable contact 95 ... Fixed contact 97 ... Electrode 98, 99 ... Electrostatic Type actuator 110 ... Substrate 113 ... Movable plate 114 ... Movable contact 115 ... Fixed contact 116, 119 ... Driving unit 117 ... Upper movable electrode 118 ... Lower fixed electrode 124 ... Upper electrode layer 125 ... Piezoelectric layer 126 ... Lower electrode layer 127 ... Supporting part 128 ... Moving part 220 ... Micro contact switch 222 ... Micro contact switch 223 ... Transmitter 224 ... Receiver 225 ... Mixer 226 ... Band pass filter 227 ... Power amplifier 228 ... Amplifier 230 ... Antenna 231 ... Low noise amplifier 232 ... Band pass filter 233 ... Mixer 234 ... PLL oscillation circuit 235 ... Amplifier

Claims (16)

A substrate,
A fixed contact formed on the substrate;
A movable plate having a movable portion formed on the substrate and bonded to the substrate side and a movable portion separated from the substrate;
A drive unit for driving the movable plate;
A movable contact formed to face the movable portion of the movable plate at a position away from the fixed contact on the substrate;
The drive unit includes at least a first drive unit that performs an operation of moving the movable contact in a direction substantially perpendicular to a contact surface of the fixed contact to bring the movable contact into and out of contact with the fixed contact; And a second drive unit that performs an operation of sliding the movable contact along the contact surface of the fixed contact in a state where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact by the drive unit .
The first driving unit is disposed on the movable part side of the movable plate and on the substrate side facing the movable part,
The movable plate has a deformable portion that can be deformed to move the tip of the movable plate forward,
The micro contact switch, wherein the second driving unit is disposed in the vicinity of the deforming unit . The micro contact switch according to claim 1,
When the movable contact is slid along the contact surface of the fixed contact by the second driving unit, the contact surface of the fixed contact and the movable contact is substantially parallel to the substrate. A micro contact switch. The micro contact switch according to claim 1,
When the movable contact is slid along the surface of the fixed contact by the second driving unit, the contact surface of the fixed contact and the movable contact is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate. A micro contact switch. The micro contact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The micro-contact switch according to claim 1, wherein the first driving unit is configured so that a main driving force works in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. The micro contact switch according to claim 1 ,
The micro contact switch, wherein the deformable portion is a bent portion that is elastically deformed. The micro contact switch according to claim 5 ,
The elastically deformed bent portion is provided so as to shift the position of the movable plate at least on the opposite side of the movable contact with respect to the movable contact in a direction in which the movable contact and the fixed contact face each other. Micro contact switch characterized by The micro contact switch according to claim 1 ,
The micro contact switch, wherein the movable plate has an intermediate fulcrum in contact with the substrate side after the first driving unit starts driving the movable plate. The micro contact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
A micro contact switch, wherein an electrostatic actuator is used for the drive unit. The micro contact switch according to claim 8 ,
At least one of the electrostatic actuators is pulled in when sliding the movable contact along the contact surface of the fixed contact. The micro contact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
A micro-contact switch, wherein a thermal actuator is used for the drive unit. In microcontact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 1 0,
The movable contact plate is made of a material containing at least a refractory metal element and another element. In microcontact switch according to claim 1 1,
The micro-contact switch according to claim 1, wherein the refractory metal element is any one of tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, and titanium. In microcontact switch according to claim 1 2,
The movable contact plate is made of a material containing at least one element of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon and a refractory metal element. In microcontact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 1 3,
A microcontact switch produced by using a semiconductor manufacturing process. A microcontact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
A transmission unit;
A receiver,
An antenna for transmitting a transmission signal from the transmission unit as a radio wave and receiving a reception signal to the reception unit as a radio wave;
A wireless communication device, wherein the antenna and the transmission unit are connected via the micro contact switch, and the antenna and the reception unit are connected via the micro contact switch. A microcontact switch according to any one of claims 1 to 1 4,
A transmission unit;
A receiver,
A plurality of antennas for transmitting a transmission signal from the transmission unit as a radio wave and receiving a reception signal to the reception unit as a radio wave;
The plurality of antennas and the receiving unit are respectively connected via the micro contact switch, and one of the plurality of antennas is connected to the receiving unit by closing any one of the micro contact switches. A wireless communication device.

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