Magnetostatic bistable MEMS switch with electrothermal actuators

Abstract

The design, fabrication, and an experiment, of a bistable MEMS switch with magnetostatic latching and electrothermal actuation for achieving lower power consumption are presented. The bistabilities feature a crisscross-shaped torsion/cantilever beam system and a permanent magnet for holding the closed state. Therefore, the device is suitable for bistable switching relay applications. Electrical performances have been characterised by a self-built test system using an Agilent oscilloscope. In addition, switching between two stable states of the microswitch was successfully validated with the WYKO NT1100 optical profiling system. Results show that the consumed exciting power is only 0.64 mJ in one DC pulse.