Analog Devices,inc.

Sumit Majumder

Kenneth James Skrobis

Richard H Morrison, Jr

Geoffrey Thomas Haigh

An improved micro-machined relay is disclosed. The relay includes a micro-machined beam capable of carrying an electric signal and having a contact point on a closure side of the beam. The beam is electrically coupled to a first electrical transmission path and suspended above a second electrical transmission path. An insulation layer resides on a portion of the closure side of the beam and an electrical conductor is coupled to a least a portion of the insulation layer. A potential creator creates a potential between the electrical conductor and the potential creator that is capable of deflecting the beam, so that the contact point comes into contact with the second electrical transmission path. In such an embodiment, the potential creator need not account for the possible signal in the transmission path because the potential creator, which may be a voltage source, is decoupled from the transmission path.

Micro-machined relay

A micromechanical relay is made by surface micromachining techniques. It includes a metallic cantilever beam deflectable by an electrostatic field and a beam contact connected to the beam and electrically insulated from the beam by an insulating segment. During operation, the beam deflects, and the beam contact establishes an electrical contact between two drain electrodes.

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Malden, MA, United States of America

Sumit Majumder