Arizona State University

Schneider Electric Industries Sas

Magfusion Inc.

Meichun Ruan

Jun Shen

Charles Wheeler

Gordon Tam

Cheng Ping Wei

Chengping Wei

Rimantas L Vaitkus

A micro-magnetic switch includes a permanent magnet and a supporting device having contacts coupled thereto and an embedded coil. The supporting device can be positioned proximate to the magnet. The switch also includes a cantilever coupled at a central point to the supporting device. The cantilever has a conducting material coupled proximate an end and on a side of the cantilever facing the supporting device and having a soft magnetic material coupled thereto. During thermal cycling the cantilever can freely expand based on being coupled at a central point to the supporting device, which substantially reduces coefficient of thermal expansion differences between the cantilever and the supporting device.

Latching micro-magnetic switch with improved thermal reliability

A latching micro magnetic switch includes a magnet located proximate to a supporting structure. The magnet produces a first magnetic field with field lines symmetrically spaced about a central axis or non-uniform field lines. The switch also includes a cantilever supported by the supporting structure. The cantilever has a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis. The magnetic material makes the cantilever sensitive to the first magnetic field, such that the cantilever is configured to move between first and second states. The switch further includes a conductor located proximate to the supporting structure and the cantilever. The conductor is configured to conduct a current. The current produces a second magnetic field, which causes the cantilever to switch between the first and second states.

Micro magnetic latching switches and methods of making same

An apparatus includes an electrical device and a latching micromagnetic switch that controls energy flow through the electrical device. The latching micromagnetic switch includes a cantilever, a permanent magnet, and a coil configured to latch the latching micromagnetic switch in one of two positions each time energy passes through the coil. The electrical device and the latching micromagnetic switch can be integrated on a same substrate. Otherwise, the electrical device and the latching micromagnetic switch can be located on separate substrates and coupled together. The electrical device can be a circuit, a filter, an antenna, a transceiver, or the like.

Apparatus utilizing latching micromagnetic switches

A micro-machined magnetic latching switch is described. A moveable micro-machined cantilever has a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis. The cantilever has a conducting layer. A permanent magnet produces a first magnetic field, which induces a magnetization in the magnetic material. The magnetization is characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the cantilever. The first magnetic field is approximately perpendicular to longitudinal axis. A three-dimensional solenoid coil produces a second magnetic field to switch the cantilever between a first stable state and a second stable state. The temporary current is input to the three-dimensional solenoid coil, producing the second magnetic field such that a component of the second magnetic field parallel to the longitudinal axis changes direction of the magnetization vector. The cantilever is thereby caused to switch between the first stable state and the second stable state.

Micro-magnetic latching switches with a three-dimensional solenoid coil

A system that senses proximity includes a magnet producing a magnetic field and a sensor having a switch. The switch includes a cantilever supported by a supporting structure. The cantilever has a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis. The magnetic material makes the cantilever sensitive to the magnetic field, such that the cantilever is configured to move between first and second states. The switch also includes contacts supported by the support structure. The switch can be configured as a reed switch. When the magnet moves relative to the sensor, the cantilever interacts with a respective one of the contacts based on the position of the magnet during movement.

Micro magnetic proximity sensor system

Radio frequency (RF) switch comprising an electromagnet formed on a magnet, a transmission line formed on the electromagnet and having a ground line and a signal line, and a movable contact connected to either the ground line or the signal line and capable of electrically coupling the ground line with the signal line. The transmission line is capable of propagating a RF signal if the ground line is electrically decoupled from the signal line. Conversely, the transmission line is incapable of propagating a RF signal if the ground line is electrically coupled with the signal line. The electromagnet can comprise an electromagnetic coil, formed in a layer of dielectric material, electrically coupled to a current source. Preferably, the movable contact is capable of being magnetically actuated, and is latchable. The magnet, the electromagnet, the transmission line, and the movable contact can have dimensions at a micron order of magnitude. The transmission line can be a coplanar waveguide. The coplanar waveguide can include a ground plane positioned between a layer of dielectric material and the electromagnet. The coplanar waveguide can also include means to electrically couple the ground plane to the ground line.

Latchable, magnetically actuated, ground plane-isolated radio frequency microswitch

A micro magnetic switch includes a reference plane and a magnet located proximate to a supporting structure. The magnet produces a first magnetic field with uniformly spaced field lines approximately orthogonal to the reference plane, symmetrically spaced about a central axis, or non-uniformly spaced fields approximately orthogonal to the reference plane. The switch also includes a cantilever supported by the support structure. The cantilever has an axis of rotation lying in the reference plane and has magnetic material that makes the cantilever sensitive to the first magnetic field, such that the cantilever is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation between first and second states. The switch further includes a conductor located proximate to the supporting structure and the cantilever. The conductor is configured to conduct a current. The current produces a second magnetic field having a component approximately parallel to the reference plane and approximately perpendicular to the rotational axis of the cantilever, which causes the cantilever to switch between the first and second states. The switch still further includes a stopping device located proximate to the supporting structure. The stopping device is operable to stop the cantilever from rotating about the axis of symmetry beyond a point at which a longitudinal axis of the cantilever is approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the magnet.

Micro magnetic non-latching switches and methods of making same

A switch with an open state and a closed state suitably includes a cantilever having first and second states corresponding to the open and closed states of the switch, respectively. The switch may also include a magnet configured to provide an electromagnetic field that maintains said cantilever in one of the first and second states. Various embodiments may also include an electrode or electrical conductor configured to provide an electric potential or electromagnetic pulse, as appropriate, to switch the cantilever between the first and second states. Various embodiments may be formulated with micromachining technologies, and may be formed on a substrate.

Electronically latching micro-magnetic switches and method of operating same

A new optical switch device and method of operating such a device overcomes alignment problems through the use of an optical signal-confining channel that may be embedded so as to confine optical signals in a desired propagation path such that the optical signal's alignment with the output is secured. Small-angle mirrors may be used so as to direct the optical signal into the intended optical signal-confining channels so as to achieve the desired optical switching. The mirrors could be latching micro-mirrors or non-latching micro-mirrors. Such mirrors could be controlled by electrostatic actuation, thermal actuation or electromagnetic actuation, or any other technique.

Optical MEMS switching array with embedded beam-confining channels and method of operating same

A micro magnetic latching device. The device comprises a substrate having a moveable element supported thereon. The moveable element (cantilever) has a long axis and a magnetic material. The device also has first and second magnets that produce a first magnetic field, which induces a magnetization in the magnetic material. The magnetization is characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along the long axis of the moveable element, wherein the first magnetic field is approximately perpendicular to a major central portion of the long axis. The device also has a coil that produces a second magnetic field to switch the movable element between two stable states, wherein only temporary application of the second magnetic field is required to change direction of the magnetization vector thereby causing the movable element to switch between the two stable states.

Micro-magnetic latching switch with relaxed permanent magnet alignment requirements

A method and apparatus for controlling the coupling of a circuit into a signal path is described. A moveable element is supported by a substrate and has a magnetic material and a long axis. At least one magnet produces a first magnetic field. The first magnetic field induces a magnetization in the magnetic material. The magnetization is characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along the long axis of the moveable element. The first magnetic field is approximately perpendicular to a major central portion of the long axis. A coil produces a second magnetic field to switch the moveable element between first and second stable states. Only temporary application of the second magnetic field is required to change direction of the magnetization vector, which causes the moveable element to switch between the first and second stable states. In the first stable state, the moveable element does not couple the circuit in series with a signal. In the second stable state, the moveable element couples the circuit in series with the signal.

Components implemented using latching micro-magnetic switches

A micro-machined radio frequency (RF) switch is described. The micro-machined RF switch includes a substrate, a moveable micro-machined cantilever supported by the substrate, and an actuation mechanism that causes the cantilever to switch between two or more states. In a first state, a conducting layer of the cantilever couples a RF transmission line to a reference signal. In a second state, the conducting layer does not couple the RF transmission line to the reference signal. In further states, the conducting layer can couple one or more additional RF transmission lines to respective reference signals. A portion of the cantilever can flex or be angled to enhance coupling of an RF transmission line to a reference signal.

Micro machined RF switches and methods of operating the same

A switch with an open state and a closed state suitably includes a cantilever having first and second state corresponding to the open and closed states of the switch, respectively. The switch may also include a magnet configured to provide an electromagnetic field that maintains said cantilever in one of the first and second states. Various embodiments may also include an electrode or electrical conductor configured to provide an electric potential or electromagnetic pulse, as appropriate, to switch the cantilever between the first and second states. Various embodiments may be formulated with micromachining technologies, and may be formed on a substrate.

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Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Meichun Ruan