Abstract:
A high life cycle MEMS device is provided by the invention. The inventors have recognized that the cantilever or cantilevers of an MEMS shunt switch are a failure point in need of improvement. In an aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the signals in the grounded state of an MEMS shunt switch are bypassed to ground on a path that avoids the cantilever(s) supporting the movable pad. In a preferred embodiment, ground posts are disposed to contact the movable pad in an actuated position and establish a signal path from a signal line to ground. The inventors have also recognized that a shape of cantilevers near their anchor point contributes to failures. In another preferred aspect of the invention, an anchoring portion of the cantilever or cantilevers is generally coplanar with the remaining portion of the cantilever(s). An additional post beneath the anchoring portion of the cantilever(s) permits cantilever(s) lacking any turns that form a weak structural point.

Description:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST  
       [0001] This invention was made with government assistance under DARPA contract F33615-99-C-1519 and under UFAS contract 1-5-40819. The government has certain rights in this invention. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The field of the invention is micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    MEMS devices are macroscale devices including a pad that is movable in response to electrical signaling. The movable pad, such as a membrane or cantilevered conductive arm, moves in response to an electrical signal to cause an electrical or mechanical effect. A particularly useful MEMS device is the MEMS shunt switch. A MEMS shunt switch grounds a signal line in one state and permits signal flow in another state. A particular switch, the RF MEMS shunt switch is an RF (radio frequency) ohmic switch. In an RF MEMS shunt switch, application of an electrical signal causes a cantilevered conductive switch pad to ground or remove from ground state a signal line by completing or breaking ohmic contact with the signal line.  
           [0004]    MEMS lifetimes continue to be shorter than would make their use widespread. Successes in the range of 1-3 billion “cold” switching cycles have been reported. High frequency applications are especially suited to MEMS devices, and can exceed reported switching cycles in ordinary usage. Also, there is typically a difference between “hot” and “cold” switching lifetimes. Hot switching, i.e., a switching test conducted with signals present, is a different measure of operational conditions that usually shows a shorter lifetime than cold switching tests would indicate. Both types of tests are used in the art. Comparisons between the same tests are valid. However, the hot switching tests are more representative of actual operating conditions.  
           [0005]    A common cause of failure identified by the present inventors is the deformation and breakdown of the cantilevers used to support the movable pad. Spring force supplied by the cantilevers is necessary for the operation of the switch. The cantilevers are formed from thin material, having the thinness of the movable switch pad. A loss of resiliency or breakdown of the cantilevers causes a breakdown of the switch.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The inventors have recognized that the cantilever or cantilevers of an MEMS shunt switch are a failure point in need of improvement. The inventors have specifically identified that the signal path to ground contributes to failure at the cantilevers and results in a hot switching time that is substantially shorter than the cold switching lifetime. The path of signals through the cantilever(s) to ground weakens the cantilever(s). According to the invention, at least a portion of the signals in the grounded state of an MEMS shunt switch are bypassed to ground on a path that avoids the cantilever(s) supporting the movable pad. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, ground posts are disposed to contact the movable pad in an actuated position and establish a signal path from a signal line to ground. The inventors have also recognized that the shape of cantilevers near their anchor point contributes to failures. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, an anchoring portion of the cantilever or cantilevers is generally coplanar with the remaining portion of the cantilever(s). An anchor post beneath the anchoring portion of the cantilever(s) permits cantilever(s) lacking any out-of-plane turns that form a weak structural point. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment MEMS shunt switch;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2A is a schematic partial view showing a preferred cantilever for a MEMS device of the invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2B is an SEM image of the cantilever portion of a prototype device of the invention constructed according to FIG. 2A; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2C is a schematic partial view showing an alternate cantilever used in FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment MEMS shunt switch;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment MEMS shunt switch. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    The invention is directed toward reducing the failure rate attributable to cantilevers of MEMS shunt switches, especially under “hot” switching conditions that more closely approximate real life operation. An aspect of the invention concerns the signal routing in an MEMS shunt switch. A ground signal path is established that avoids the cantilever or cantilevers suspending the movable switch pad. In another aspect of the invention, a post supports the anchor point of a cantilever or cantilevers in a MEMS switch to permit a generally flat coplanar cantilever. The invention will now be illustrated with respect to the preferred embodiments but is not limited to the preferred embodiments. For example, while a preferred embodiment is a balanced RF MEMS shunt switch including multiple cantilevers, the invention is applicable to any type of shunt switch including one or more cantilevers. Embodiments of the invention may be formed in a Group III-V material system. In addition, a silicon based integration is possible. Use of silicon requires a deposition of a polymer upon the silicon substrate prior to formation of the MEMS device.  
         [0014]    The preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 may be formed on a suitable substrate and is a balanced RF MEMS shunt switch  10 , including symmetrically disposed cantilevers  12 , which are preferably serpentine in shape, supporting a movable switch pad  14  above a signal line  16  and ground, realized in FIG. 1 by ground pads  18   a  and  18   b . The switch  10  may form part of a large-scale integration, where the signal line  16  is part of a circuit interconnect pattern, for example. In a relaxed state, the switch pad  14  permits signals to flow through the signal line  16 . Application of a suitable voltage to actuation pads  20  through electrodes  21  creates an electrostatic force that pulls the switch pad in to make ohmic contact with both the signal line  16  and the ground  18   a ,  18   b  through preferred contact bumps  22  disposed on the signal line  16  and the ground  18   a ,  18   b . Electrode  21  would be omitted in an integration where a lead to an actuation pad  20  is part of a circuit interconnect. The switch pad  14  may also preferably include one or more depressions or dimples  24  to aid the ohmic contact with bumps  22  of either or both of the signal line  16  and ground. Arrows  26  indicate primary paths of current flow when the signal line  16  is grounded.  
         [0015]    The overall geometry of the switch  10  is advantageous for integration and provides a symmetry aiding efficient operation of the switch. The two ground pads  18   a  and  18   b  are disposed on opposite sides of the signal line  16 . Actuation pads  20  are also disposed on opposite sides of the signal line, and are encompassed by the ground pads  18   a  and  18   b , but electrically separate from the ground pads  18   a  and  18   b . A symmetry is provided by this arrangement to exhibit an even attraction force on the switch pad  14 , which is supported by the cantilevers  12 , which are also preferably symmetrically disposed around the switch pad  14 .  
         [0016]    Current flows in from an input side  28  of the switch  10  into the signal line  16 . In a relaxed position of the switch with the switch pad  14  away from the signal line  16 , the current is allowed to pass through the signal line  16  to an opposite output side  30  of the switch. In an activated position, the switch pad is pulled into ohmic contact with bumps  22  on the signal line  16  and ground. The bumps  22  are preferably used to prevent the switch pad  14  from touching the actuation pads  20 , which may include a nitride or other dielectric layer, or may be exposed conductive material by virtue of the bumps  22  that prevent touching of the switch pad  14  to the actuation pad  20 . There is a trade-off between the size of the bumps  22  and the area of the actuation pads that can be modified and optimized to suit particular switches according to the FIG. 1 embodiment. Forming bumps  22  that have larger surface area will reduce the actuation area of the actuation pads  20 . The bumps  22  on the ground pads  18   a ,  18   b  may be conductive to provide part of the path to ground, while those on signal line  16  must be conductive. In addition, the switch pad  14  contacts ground posts  32 . The ground posts  32  establish a primary path from the input side  28  of the switch to the ground  18 . The ground posts  32  create a path from the input side  28  to ground that is lower resistance than the path to ground through the cantilevers  12 . In this regard, it is preferable to shape the ground posts  32  to maximize the surface area of the ground posts that will make ohmic contact to the switch pad  14 . The tradeoff is again a competition with the surface area of the acutation pads  20 . Overall cross-section of the posts  32  also should be generous, to the extent permitted by the configuration of a particular switch. The material used for the ground posts  32  and other conductive elements of the switch is preferably any conducting metal, e.g., Ti, Au, Cu, Ni, Pt, but other conductive materials, e.g., poly-silicon, tungsten-silicide, may also be used. Typically, a common metal will be used for the switch pad  14 , cantilevers  12  and ground posts  32 . Because the cantilevers  12  are conductive and connected to ground, there will be some current flow to ground through the cantilevers  12 . A preferred goal in implementing the current bypass aspect of the invention is to minimize the current flow through the cantilevers  12  by maximizing current flow to ground through the ground posts  32  (and bumps  22 ). Factors affecting the bypass effect of the ground posts  32  will include all material and physical properties that determine the resistance of the respective paths to ground through the cantilevers  12  and the ground posts  32 .  
         [0017]    Exemplary embodiment ground posts each present a contact area (for contact with the switch pad) of at least 100 μm 2 . This is a minimum area to direct the majority of current passing to the ground in an exemplary prototype embodiment switch according to FIG. 1 where the switch pad and cantilevers are approximately 1 μm thick and the cantilevers have a cross-sectional area of approximately 4 to 6 μm 2 . In the exemplary embodiment, the contact area of the ground posts is selected to direct a majority of the current to ground through the ground posts. The minimum surface area required to direct a majority of the current through the ground posts will depend primarily upon the contact area of the ground posts, the resistivity of the material of the ground posts (if it is different than the material of the switch pad/cantilevers), and the cross section of the cantilevers.  
         [0018]    The common material of the switch pad  14  and cantilevers  12  is a result of a single deposition used to form these elements. The cantilevers  12  are a shaped extension of the switch pad having the same thinness of the switch pad, typically 0.5 μm to 5 μm. The cantilevers  12  extend to anchor portions  34  that bond to the ground pads  18   a ,  18   b . In the FIG. 1 embodiment, this is achieved by turns  36  (best seen in FIG. 2C) in the anchor portions  34  of the cantilevers  12 . The turns  36  permit the remaining portions of the cantilevers  12  and the switch pad  14  to maintain a relaxed state in a plane away from the ground  18   a ,  18   b  and signal line  16 .  
         [0019]    The bypass of ground current flow in the FIG. 1 embodiment through the ground posts  32  extends hot switching lifetime compared to an identical device lacking the ground posts. FIG. 2A shows a further preferred embodiment having a generally flat cantilever  12   a  including an anchor portion  34  that is generally coplanar with the remaining portions of the cantilever  12   a . This is a variation of the FIG. 1 embodiment. An anchor post  38  is formed on the ground pad  18   a ,  18   b  to support each of the anchor portions  34 . The anchor post  38  can completely eliminate the need for the turns  36  in the anchor portion  34  of the FIG. 1 embodiment and permit a generally flat, coplanar cantilever  12   a . The flat, coplanar embodiment is preferred. Alternatively, the amount or severity of the turn can be reduced by use of the anchor posts  38 . The coplanar embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A is the most structurally sound. An SEM image of a prototype cantilever portion with anchor posts is shown in FIG. 2B.  
         [0020]    An additional advantage of the anchor posts  38  is a reduction of the gap between the switch pad  14  and the signal line  16 . Referring to FIG. 2C, the cantilevers with a turn limit the minimum gap because the turn  36  requires a minimum vertical distance. The FIG. 2A design not only strengthens the cantilever but also reduces the gap between the switch pad  14  and signal line  16 . For low voltage applications, a typical gap for a cantilever without an anchor post is 4 to 5 mm and the gap lessened to about 2 to 3 mm with use of the anchor posts. Gap reduction lowers the actuation voltage of the switch.  
         [0021]    When the anchor posts  38  are used in combination with the ground posts  32 , the anchor posts may be made or coated with dielectric material. Any material that forms a suitable bond with the ground pads  18   a ,  18   b  and the anchor portions  34  of the cantilevers may be used. In this preferred embodiment, the resistance of the path to ground through the cantilevers  12  becomes very high compared to the path presented by the ground posts. This may be especially useful in applications where geometry or integration limits the size of ground posts.  
         [0022]    Modifications of switch shapes may include optimizations that decrease resistance of the bypass path to ground of the invention. Examples of modified embodiments having more complexly shaped dimples are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The FIGS. 3 and 4 embodiments enhance contact to the bumps  22  that are present on ground pads  18   a ,  18   b  and the signal line  16 .  
         [0023]    While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims.  
         [0024]    Various features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.