The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 20, 2005
Hariklia Deligianni, Tenafly, NJ (US);
Robert D. Edwards, Marlboro, NY (US);
Thomas J. Fleischman, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Robert A. Groves, Highland, NY (US);
Charles J. Montrose, Clintondale, NY (US);
Richard P. Volant, New Fairfield, CT (US);
Ping-chuan Wang, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Hariklia Deligianni, Tenafly, NJ (US);
Robert D. Edwards, Marlboro, NY (US);
Thomas J. Fleischman, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Robert A. Groves, Highland, NY (US);
Charles J. Montrose, Clintondale, NY (US);
Richard P. Volant, New Fairfield, CT (US);
Ping-Chuan Wang, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides multiple test structures for performing reliability and qualification tests on MEMS switch devices. A Test structure for contact and gap characteristic measurements is employed having a serpentine layout simulates rows of upper and lower actuation electrodes. A cascaded switch chain test is used to monitor process defects with large sample sizes. A ring oscillator is used to measure switch speed and switch lifetime. A resistor ladder test structure is configured having each resistor in series with a switch to be tested, and having each switch-resistor pair electrically connected in parallel. Serial/parallel test structures are proposed with MEMS switches working in tandem with switches of established technology. A shift register is used to monitor the open and close state of the MEMS switches. Pull-in voltage, drop-out voltage, activation leakage current, and switch lifetime measurements are performed using the shift register.