Microelectromechanical devices
US7336474B2 · kind B2 · utility
22Cited by
20References
39Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 13, 2004 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 7, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H59/0009
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus includes a switch comprising microelectromechanical elements, the microelectromechanical elements including a sealed chamber containing a dielectric element, and conductors in the sealed chamber. The conductors are arranged such that application of greater than a predetermined voltage to at least one of the conductors causes ionization breakdown of the dielectric element to provide an electrically conductive path between the conductors. In another implementation, a switch includes a nanotube electron emitter or a radioactive isotope electron emitter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.