Study on contact resistance in single-contact and multi-contact MEMS switches

Abstract

In this paper, contact resistance in single-contact and multi-contact switches, fabricated using MEMSCAP's Metal Multi-User MEMS Process (MetalMUMPs), is characterized, compared, and discussed. The experimental results show that the single-contact switch has a lower contact on-resistance compared to the multi-contact switch. Also, under high carrying current operation of 0.85 A, the contact resistances are 0.426 and 0.155 ohm in the multi-contact switch and the single-contact switch, respectively. The contact pressure is here proved to be the key factor in determining the contact resistance. A smaller nominal contact area can introduce more contact pressure under the same contact force, and therefore a great fraction of surface is actually contacted. Smaller contact resistance can thus be achieved.