Sains Malaysiana 40(3)(2011): 283–286

 

MEMS Switch Contact Bouncing Mitigation using Novel Dual-Pulse Actuation Voltage

(Pengurangan Lantunan Sentuhan Suis MEMS Menggunakan Voltan Penggerak Dwi-Denyut Baru)

 

C.H. Lai* & W.S.H. Wong

School of Engineering and Science, Swinburne University of Technology (Sarawak Campus)

Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

 

Received: 15 July 2010 / Accepted: 3 September 2010

 

ABSTRACT

 

A novel dual-pulse actuation voltage that reduces dielectric charging in micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch and thus leading to a longer switch lifetime, are shown to simultaneously mitigate MEMS switch contact bouncing. A simple mass-spring-damper mathematical model is used to simulate movement of the switch contact as the excitation voltage is applied. The model shows that the novel dual-pulse voltages damped the acceleration of the switch membrane as it approaches the contact point, eventually slowing it down and minimizes the impact force. This has the effect of minimizing the occurrence of contact bouncing. Practical experiment on the commercial TeraVicta TT712-68CSP MEMS switch corroborates that the novel excitation voltages reduced bouncing.

 

Keywords: Contact bouncing; micro-electromechanical system (MEMS); radio frequency (RF); reliability

 

ABSTRAK

 

Voltan penggerak dwi-denyut baru yang mengurangkan pengecasan dielektrik dalam suis sistem mikro-elektromekanik (MEMS) seterusnya memberikan jangkahayat suis yang lebih panjang, telah didapati memperlahankan lantunan sentuhan suis MEMS. Satu model matematik jisim-spring-pelembap telah digunakan untuk mensimulasi pergerakan sentuhan suis semasa voltan pengujaan dikenakan. Model ini menunjukkan bahawa voltan dwi-denyut melembapkan pecutan membran suis apabila ia menghampiri titik sentuhan, seterusnya memperlahankannya dan meminimakan daya impak. Ini memberikan kesan mengurangkan kejadian lantunan sentuhan. Uji kaji praktikal ke atas suis komersil TeraVicta TT712-68CSP MEMS mengesahkan bahawa voltan pengujaan terbaharu mengurangkan lantunan.

 

Kata kunci: Frekuensi radio (RF); kebolehharapan; lantunan sentuhan; sistem mikro-elektromekanik (MEMS)

 

REFERENCES

 

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Lai, C.H. & Wong, W.S.H. 2009. Novel dual-pulse actuation voltage for longer MEMS switch lifetime. Proc. World Congress on Engineering 2009, pp. 407-410.

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Yuan, X., Peng, Z., Hwang, J.C.M., Forehand, D. & Goldsmith, C.L. 2006a. A transient SPICE model for dielectric-charging effects in RF MEMS capacitive switches. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 53(10): 2640-2648.

Yuan, X., Peng, Z., Hwang, J.C.M., Forehand, D. & Goldsmith, C.L. 2006b. Acceleration of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches. IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability 6(4): 556-563.

 

*Corresponding author; email: wwong@swinburne.edu.my

 

 

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