Design, fabrication and characterization of a latching acceleration switch with multi-contacts independent to the proof-mass

Abstract An acceleration latching switch with independent multi-contacts is presented in this paper. All the contacts and their beams are independent to the proof-mass so as to prevent the contacts from the impact resulting from the rebound or vibration of the proof-mass once the switch is latched. Moreover, multiple contacts are used in order to get highly reliable contact, to lower the contact resistance and to increase the maximum allowable current. The switch was fabricated by low-cost two-mask silicon on glass process and tested. The latching shock is 4500G and the response time is less than 0.1 ms. The contact resistance is no more than 5 Ω while the isolation resistance is more than 200 MΩ and the maximum allowable current is up to 100 mA.

[1]  Masayoshi Esashi,et al.  Acceleration switch with extended holding time using squeeze film effect for side airbag systems , 2002 .

[2]  D. Ciarlo,et al.  A latching accelerometer fabricated by the anisotropic etching of (110) oriented silicon wafers , 1992 .

[3]  Zhihong Li,et al.  Bulk micromachined relay with lateral contact , 2000 .

[4]  Stephen M. Schultz,et al.  Plastic latching accelerometer based on bistable compliant mechanisms , 2007 .

[5]  Guifu Ding,et al.  Design, simulation and characterization of an inertia micro-switch fabricated by non-silicon surface micromachining , 2007 .

[6]  Z.Y. Guo,et al.  A Latching Acceleration Switch with Multi-Contacts Independent to the Proof-Mass , 2009, 2009 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[7]  Josef Binder,et al.  Additive electroplating technology as a post-CMOS process for the production of MEMS acceleration-threshold switches for transportation applications , 2000 .

[8]  Gang Li,et al.  Fabrication and packaging of inertia micro-switch using low-temperature photo-resist molded metal-electroplating technology , 2004 .

[9]  Josef Binder,et al.  Acceleration threshold switches from an additive electroplating MEMS process , 2000 .

[10]  Jianyuan Jia,et al.  A Novel MEMS Parallel-beam Acceleration Switch , 2006, 2006 2nd IEEE/ASME International Conference on Mechatronics and Embedded Systems and Applications.

[11]  Gabriel M. Rebeiz.  RF MEMS: Theory, Design and Technology , 2003 .

[12]  Byung Man Kwak,et al.  Snapping microswitches with adjustable acceleration threshold , 1996 .

[13]  M. Younis,et al.  Computationally Efficient Approaches to Characterize the Dynamic Response of Microstructures Under Mechanical Shock , 2007, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.