Patent ID: 7235750

Claim:
The method of achieving a gold alloy contact-inclusive radio frequency microelectromechanical systems switch comprising the steps of: electing a microelectromechanical systems switch mechanism configuration providing a selected range of switch electrical contact force capability and limited switch electrostatic pull-in voltage requirement; selecting candidate radio frequency microelectromechanical systems electrical switch contact metal alloys for use with said elected switch mechanism configuration from a collection of gold inclusive binary miscible alloys; said selecting step including embracing a plurality of gold inclusive alloys of suitable equilibrium binary alloy phase diagrams and known suitable binary alloy bulk material resistivity data for said candidate gold inclusive alloys; said selecting step additionally including exclusion of candidate gold alloys having multiple stable alloy phases and intermetallic compound attributed phase diagram regions; said selecting step further including exclusion of gold alloy combinations having electrical resistivity characteristics in excess of a selected level; said selecting step alloy having one of, a palladium of concentration of less than ten percent, a platinum of concentration of less than fifteen percent and a silver concentration of less than fifteen percent; choosing an appropriate thin film deposition method for a contact alloy designated from said selected candidate radio frequency microelectromechanical systems switch contact gold inclusive alloys; and forming said designated alloy using one of a physical vapor deposition process and a chemical vapor deposition process operating at an alloying temperature below that of phase diagram multiple phases formation and phase diagram miscibility gap occurrence.