High voltage switch and method of making
View Patent ↗Electrostatic devices, systems and methods are presented. One embodiment is an electrostatic device including a substrate, a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a movable element having a second electrode and a control electrode. The control electrode is disposed in electrostatic communication with the movable element. The control electrode includes a protection layer having resistivity in a range of from about 1 ohm-cm to about 10 kohm-cm.
1. A device comprising:
a substrate;
a first electrode disposed on the substrate;
a movable element comprising a second electrode;
and
a control electrode comprising a protection layer, the control electrode disposed in electrostatic communication with the movable element, wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range from about 1 ohm-cm to about 10 kohm-cm,
wherein the movable element is deflectable between a first position in which the second electrode is in conductive electrical communication with the first electrode in response to an electrical field of a first strength established between the control electrode and the movable element, to a second position in which the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode in response to an electrical field of a second strength established between the control electrode and the movable element.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a MEMS device or a NEMS device.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range from about 1 ohm-cm to about 10 ohm-cm.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range from about 10 ohm-cm to about 100 ohm-cm.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range from about 100 ohm-cm to about 10 kohm-cm.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer comprises a material having a dielectric constant less than about 20.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer comprises an anodized material.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the protection layer comprises an oxide, nitride, titanate, or silicate.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the protection layer comprises tantalum oxide.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer comprises an organic material.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness of less than about 10 micrometers.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness of less than about 1 micrometer.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protection layer has a thickness of less than about 0.5 micrometer.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the movable element is a membrane, cantilever, beam, torsional element, or thermal actuator.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the movable element comprises a conductive material.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control electrode comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of copper, tungusten, aluminum, gold, tantalum, titanium and alloys containing any of these metals.
17. A system comprising: a circuit board, a plurality of electrostatically activated devices disposed on the circuit board, wherein each of the electrostatically activated device comprises: a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; a movable element comprising a second electrode; and a control electrode comprising a protection layer, the control electrode disposed in electrostatic communication with the movable element, wherein the protection layer comprises anodized tantalum oxide, wherein the movable element is deflectable between a first position in which the second electrode is in conductive electrical communication with the first electrode in response to an electrical field of a first strength established between the control electrode and the movable element, to a second position in which the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode in response to an electrical field of a second strength established between the control electrode and the movable element, wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range from about 1 ohm-cm to about 10 kohm-cm.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of electrostatically activated devices are in electrical connection with one another.
19. A method comprising:
providing a substrate;
providing a first electrode disposed on the substrate;
providing a movable element, the movable element comprises a second electrode; and
providing a control electrode comprising a protection layer, the control electrode disposed in electrostatic communication with the movable element, wherein the protection layer has resistivity in a range of from about 100 kohm-cm to about 100 Mohm-cm.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein providing a control electrode comprises disposing a metal layer over the control electrode.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein providing a control electrode further comprises anodizing at least a portion of the metal layer to develop the protection layer over the control electrode.