Title :
Micromechanical switches fabricated using nickel surface micromachining
Author :
Zavracky, Paul M. ; Majumder, Sumit ; McGruer, Nicol E.
Author_Institution :
Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA, USA
fDate :
3/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Micromechanical switches have been fabricated in electroplated nickel using a four-level surface micromachining process. The simplest devices are configured with three terminals, a source, a drain, and a gate and are 30 μm wide, 1 μm thick, and 65 μm long. A voltage applied between the gate and source closes the switch, connecting the source to the drain. Devices switch more than 109 cycles before failure and exhibit long-lifetime hot switching currents up to 5 mA. The initial contact resistance is less than 50 mΩ. The breakdown (stand-off) voltage between the source and the drain is greater than 100 V and the off-current is less than 20 fA at 100 V
Keywords :
MIS devices; chromium; contact resistance; electric breakdown; elemental semiconductors; failure analysis; gold; micromachining; micromechanical devices; nickel; semiconductor relays; silicon; silicon compounds; 1 micron; 100 V; 20 fA; 30 micron; 5 mA; 65 micron; Ni-Cr-Au-SiO2-Si; breakdown voltage; failure; four-level micromachining process; initial contact resistance; long-lifetime hot switching currents; micromechanical switches; off-current; surface micromachining; Consumer electronics; Contacts; Micromachining; Micromechanical devices; Microrelays; Microswitches; Nickel; Relays; Switches; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of
