IP Library Granted Patent US 10,508,025
Granted Patent B2
US 10,508,025 · App. 15/255,757 · Granted Dec 17, 2019

MEMS switch and electronic device

Inventors: Jotaro Akiyama (Tokyo, JP); Kenji Endou (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Aoyagi (Tokyo, JP); Katsunori Osanai (Tokyo, JP); Tohru Inoue (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
B81B7/02B81B3/0097B81B7/008B81B2201/014B81B2203/0118B81B2203/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,508,025
App. No.
15/255,757
Granted
Dec 17, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A MEMS switch includes a first signal line provided in a first beam, a first GND adjacent to the first signal line, a second signal line provided in a second beam, and a second GND adjacent to the second signal line. A contact terminal is fixed to any one of the first signal line and the second signal line and performs connection between the first signal line and the second signal line according to deformation of the first beam.

Claims (48)

1. A MEMS switch, comprising:

a first flexible member;

a first signal line provided to the first flexible member;

a first ground electrode provided to the first flexible member and adjacent to the first signal line;

a second flexible member adjacent to the first flexible member with a gap;

a second signal line provided to the second flexible member; and

a second ground electrode provided to the second flexible member and adjacent to the second signal line,

a first driving element that deforms at least the first flexible member; and

a contact terminal that is fixed to anyone of the first signal line and the second signal line and that performs connection between the first signal line and the second signal line according to the deformation of the first flexible member,

wherein the first signal line and the first ground electrode are provided on the first flexible member,

the second signal line and the second ground electrode are provided on the second flexible member,

the second ground electrode extends to be adjacent to the first signal line via a first gap, and the first signal line is located to be interposed between the first ground electrode and the second ground electrode to thereby constitute a first coplanar waveguide, and

the first ground electrode extends to be adjacent to the second signal line via a second gap, and the second signal line is located to be interposed between the second ground electrode and the first ground electrode to thereby constitute a second coplanar waveguide.

2. The MEMS switch according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are arranged in point symmetry in a plan view.

3. An electronic device, comprising:

the MEMS switch according to claim 1 ,

a signal input element; and

a signal processing element connected to the signal input element via the MEMS switch.

4. A piezoelectric MEMS switch, comprising:

a flexible member including one end portion cantilever-supported by a substrate, and a separation portion thereby separated from the substrate;

a first signal line provided in the flexible member;

a second signal line provided to be separated from the first signal line;

a first pair of grounds provided in the flexible member;

a driving element for deforming the flexible member;

a contact terminal for a signal line that is provided in the flexible member and that switches between electrical connection and disconnection between the first signal line and the second signal line due to deformation of the flexible member by the driving element;

a second pair of grounds provided so that the second pair of grounds are separated from the second signal line and the second signal line is interposed therebetween in a plan view; and

a pair of contact terminals for grounding that switch between electrical connection and disconnection between one of the first pair of grounds and one of the second pair of grounds and between the other of the first pair of grounds and the other of the second pair of grounds due to deformation of the flexible member by the driving element when the contact terminal switches between the electrical connection and the disconnection between the first signal line and the second signal line due to deformation of the flexible member by the driving element,

wherein the first pair of grounds are provided so that the first pair of grounds are separated from the first signal line in the separation portion of the flexible member and the first signal line is interposed therebetween in the plan view,

at least a portion of the driving element overlaps the first pair of grounds in the separation portion of the flexible member in the plan view, and

a timing at which the pair of contact terminals for grounding performs switching from an electrical disconnection state to a connection state between one of the first pair of grounds and one of the second pair of grounds and between the other of the first pair of grounds and the other of the second pair of grounds due to deformation of the flexible member by the driving element is earlier than a timing at which the contact terminal for the signal line performs switching from an electrical disconnection state to a connection state between the first signal line and the second signal line due to deformation of the flexible member by the driving element.

5. A piezoelectric MEMS switch, comprising:

a flexible member including one end portion cantilever-supported by a substrate, and a separation portion thereby separated from the substrate;

a first signal line provided in the flexible member;

a second signal line provided to be separated from the first signal line;

a first pair of grounds provided in the flexible member;

a piezoelectric driving element for deforming the flexible member; and

a contact terminal that is provided in the flexible member and that switches between electrical connection and disconnection between the first signal line and the second signal line due to deformation of the flexible member by the piezoelectric driving element,

wherein the first pair of grounds are provided so that the first pair of grounds are separated from the first signal line in the separation portion of the flexible member and the first signal line is interposed therebetween in a plan view, and

at least a portion of the piezoelectric driving element overlaps the first pair of grounds in the separation portion of the flexible member in the plan view.

6. The piezoelectric MEMS switch according to claim 5 ,

wherein at least a portion of the first signal line does not overlap the piezoelectric driving element in the separation portion of the flexible member in the plan view.

7. The piezoelectric MEMS switch according to claim 5 ,

wherein, in the separation portion of the flexible member, a distance from each of the pair of grounds to the first signal line is shorter than a distance from the first signal line to the piezoelectric driving element.

8. The piezoelectric MEMS switch according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second pair of grounds provided so that the second pair of grounds are separated from the second signal line and the second signal line is interposed therebetween in the plan view; and

a pair of contact terminals for grounding that switch between electrical connection and disconnection between one of the first pair of grounds and one of the second pair of grounds and between the other of the first pair of grounds and the other of the second pair of grounds due to deformation of the flexible member by the piezoelectric driving element when the contact terminal for a signal line switches between the electrical connection and the disconnection between the first signal line and the second signal line due to deformation of the flexible member by the piezoelectric driving element.

9. The piezoelectric MEMS switch according to claim 5 , wherein the first signal line and the first pair of grounds are provided at substantially a same vertical position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 15, 2016
From: AKIYAMA, JOTARO; ENDOU, KENJI; AOYAGI, TAKASHI; OSANAI, KATSUNORI; INOUE, TOHRU
To: TDK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040326/0981 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2015-173149 · Sep 2, 2015 · national
JP 2015-173151 · Sep 2, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190077655A1 · Mar 14, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,586,736