Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) switching devices
US8044442B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 20, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H1/0094
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A gated nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) switch employing metal-insulator-metal (MIM) technology and related devices and methods which can facilitate implementation of low-power, radiation-hardened, high-temperature electronic devices and circuits. In one example embodiment a gate electrode is configured as a cantilever beam whose free end is coupled to a MIM stack. The stack moves into bridging contact across a source and drain region when the applied gate voltage generates a sufficient electrostatic force to overcome the mechanical biasing of the cantilever beam. A second set of contacts can be added on the cantilever beam to form a complementary switching structure, or to a separate cantilever beam. The switching can be configured as non-volatile in response to stiction forces. NEM circuits provide a number of advantages within a variety of circuit types, including but not limited to: logic, memory, sleep circuits, pass circuits, and so forth.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.