Patent ID: 8264054

Claim:
A microscale switch for electrostatic and electrothermal actuation, the switch comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a stationary electrode formed on the substrate; (c) a stationary contact formed on the substrate; (d) a voltage source; (e) a first current source; and (f) a movable microcomponent suspended above the substrate, comprising: (i) a structural layer including at least one end fixed with respect to the substrate; (ii) a movable electrode positioned directly above the stationary electrode, spaced from the stationary electrode by a gap such that it does not contact the stationary electrode, and connected to the voltage source, wherein the movable electrode is movable with respect to the stationary electrode when the voltage source applies a voltage difference between the stationary electrode and the movable electrode to establish electrostatic coupling between the movable electrode and the stationary electrode across the gap; (iii) a movable contact spaced from the stationary contact; and (iv) a first electrothermal component being isolated from the movable electrode and the stationary electrode, attached to the structural layer along a majority of a length of the structural layer, connected to the first current source, and operable to produce heating when energized by the first current source for generating force for moving the structural layer.