Patent ID: 6239685
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B81B,G11B,G11C,H01H

Abstract:
A bistable micromechanical switch, comprising:a substrate having a surface;at least two anchor points formed on the substrate; anda beam structure including a two-material beam attached to at least two anchor points, the two-material beam having a first portion, a second portion and a center portion, the first portion of the two-material beam being formed from a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material, the first layer of the first portion being proximate to the surface of the substrate and the second layer of the first portion being remote from the surface of the substrate, the first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, the second coefficient of thermal expansion being greater than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, the second portion of the two-material beam being formed from a first layer of the second material and a second layer of the first material, the first layer of the second portion being proximate to the surface of the substrate and the second layer of the second portion being remote from the surface of the substrate, the beam structure having a first and a second stable state, a center portion of the beam structure being deflected toward the surface of the substrate for the first stable state and the center portion of the beam structure being deflected away from the surface of the substrate for the second stable state.