Patent ID: 7327211

Claim:
A micro-machined latching switch, comprising: a moveable micro-machined cantilever having a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis, wherein said cantilever has a conducting layer; a permanent magnet producing a first magnetic field, which induces a magnetization in said magnetic material, said magnetization characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along said longitudinal axis of said cantilever, wherein said first magnetic field is approximately perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; and a three-dimensional solenoid coil producing a second magnetic field to switch said cantilever between a first stable state and a second stable state, wherein a temporary current input to said three-dimensional solenoid coil produces said second magnetic field such that a component of said second magnetic field parallel to said longitudinal axis changes direction of said magnetization vector thereby causing said cantilever to switch between said first stable state and said second stable state including: a magnetic core, and a coil line wrapped at least once around said magnetic core; wherein said three-dimensional solenoid coil includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein said magnetic core resides in said second layer between said first layer and said third layer, and wherein said coil line wraps around said magnetic core through said first layer in a first direction and through said second layer in a second direction.