Patent · US Active

MEMS device using NiMn alloy and method of manufacture

US7812703B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
4References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 2006
Grant dateOct 12, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 12, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2061/006
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A material for forming a conductive structure for a MEMS device is described, which is an alloy containing about 0.01% manganese and the remainder nickel. Data shows that the alloy possesses advantageous mechanical and electrical properties. In particular, the sheet resistance of the alloy is actually lower than the sheet resistance of the pure metal. In addition, the alloy may have superior creep and higher recrystallization temperature than the pure metal. It is hypothesized that these advantageous material properties are a result of the larger grain structure existing in the NiMn alloy film compared to the pure nickel metal film. These properties may make the alloy appropriate for applications such as MEMS thermal electrical switches for telecommunications applications.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.