Microswitches and microrelays with a view toward microwave applications

In this paper, we discuss our work on surface micromachined microswitches and microrelays that are based on electroplated materials. We have successfully fabricated devices with lifetimes exceeding 107 cycles cold switched at current levels exceeding 10 ma. Contact resistance is consistently below one ohm for a single contact. Multiple contact devices have much lower effective contact resistance. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 9: 338–347, 1999.