Ronald A Coutu Jr et al 2004 J. Micromech. Microeng. 14 1157 doi:10.1088/0960-1317/14/8/006
Ronald A Coutu Jr1, Paul E Kladitis1, Kevin D Leedy2 and Robert L Crane3
Show affiliationsThis paper presents a method for selecting metal alloys as the electric contact materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) metal contact switches. This procedure consists of reviewing macro-switch lessons learned, utilizing equilibrium binary alloy phase diagrams, obtaining thin film material properties and, based on a suitable model, predicting contact resistance performance. After determining a candidate alloy material, MEMS switches were designed, fabricated and tested to validate the alloy selection methodology. Minimum average contact resistance values of 1.17 and 1.87 Ω were measured for micro-switches with gold (Au) and gold–platinum (Au–(6.3%)Pt) alloy electric contacts, respectively. In addition, 'hot-switched' life cycle test results of 1.02 × 108 and 2.70 × 108 cycles were collected for micro-switches with Au and Au–(6.3%)Pt contacts, respectively. These results indicate increased wear with a small increase in contact resistance for MEMS switches with metal alloy electric contacts.
84.32.Dd Connectors, relays, and switches
85.40.Ls Metallization, contacts, interconnects; device isolation
85.85.+j Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices
Issue 8 (August 2004)
Received 24 January 2004
Published 17 June 2004
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