A relay state prediction device according to the present invention includes: a voltage value acquisition unit that measures every moment a detected voltage detected from two ends of a shunt resistor; a voltage value difference calculation unit that calculates a voltage value difference between a first voltage value of when the detected voltage becomes minimum by an armature starting displacement after a primary-side switch is turned off and a second voltage value of when secondary-side contacts are opened; a slope calculation unit that calculates a slope at which the voltage value difference decreases as the secondary-side contacts are repeatedly opened and closed in response to the primary-side switch repeatedly turning on and off; and a state prediction unit that predicts the number of openable and closable times from the present time until the voltage value difference reaches a predetermined threshold value based on the voltage value difference at the present time and the decreasing slope.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a beam structure and an electrode on an insulator layer, remote from the beam structure. The method further includes forming at least one sacrificial layer over the beam structure, and remote from the electrode. The method further includes forming a lid structure over the at least one sacrificial layer and the electrode. The method further includes providing simultaneously a vent hole through the lid structure to expose the sacrificial layer and to form a partial via over the electrode. The method further includes venting the sacrificial layer to form a cavity. The method further includes sealing the vent hole with material. The method further includes forming a final via in the lid structure to the electrode, through the partial via.

An electrical circuit includes a contact with a pair of switchable electrodes, the contact configured to cycle through make and break transitions while conducting current. The electrical circuit further includes an arc suppressor, at least one sensor, and a controller circuit. The arc suppressor is coupled across the pair of switchable electrodes and is to extinguish an arc formed across the pair of switchable electrodes during the make and break transitions of the contact. The at least one sensor is coupled to the pair of switchable electrodes and is configured to generate sensor data. The controller circuit includes a plurality of registers and is configured to detect a fault condition associated with the contact based on the sensor data. The controller circuit further sequences contact opening of the contact based on the detected fault condition and a timing value stored in at least one register of the plurality of registers.

An arc suppressing circuit configured to suppress arcing across a power contactor coupled to an alternating current (AC) power source having a predetermined number of phases, each contact of the power contactor corresponding to one of the predetermined number of phases includes a number of dual unidirectional arc suppressors equal to the predetermined number of phases of the AC power source. Each dual unidirectional arc suppressor includes a first phase-specific arc suppressor configured to suppress arcing across the associated contacts in a positive domain, a a second phase-specific arc suppressor configured to suppress arcing across the associated contacts in a negative domain, and a coil lock controller, configured to be coupled between a contact coil driver of the power contactor, configured to detect an output condition from the contact coil driver and inhibit operation of the first and second phase-specific arc suppressors over a predetermined time.

Systems and methods for forming a magnetostatic MEMS switch include a movable structure formed in a top surface of a substrate, wherein the movable structure is coupled to the substrate by a plurality of restoring springs anchored to the substrate, a stationary structure formed in the same top surface of the substrate, a conductive shunt bar having a characteristic dimension of about 100 um, wherein the shunt bar is disposed on the movable structure adjacent to the gap, an input electrode and an output electrode disposed on the stationary structure and separated by a distance of about 100 um; and a plurality of permeable magnetic features inlaid into the stationary and movable structures, wherein the movable structure is configured to move relative to the stationary structure by interaction of the permeable features with an applied magnetic field, thereby closing the gap and electrically coupling the input and output electrodes across the conductive shunt bar.

The present invention generally relates to a mechanism for making a MEMS switch that has a robust RF-contact by avoiding currents to run through a thin sidewall in a via from the RF-contact to the underlying RF-electrode.

A power contact fault clearing device includes a first pair of terminals adapted to be connected across a first set of switchable contacts, and a second pair of terminals adapted to be connected across a second set of switchable contacts. The second set of switchable contacts coupled to an arc suppressor. A current sensor is adapted to be connected between a power load and the second set of switchable contacts. The current sensor is configured to measure a power load current associated with the power load. A controller circuit is operatively coupled to the current sensor and the first and second pairs of terminals. The controller circuit is configured to detect a fault condition based at least on the power load current, and sequence deactivation of the first set of switchable contacts and the second set of switchable contacts based on the detected fault condition.

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) cavity. The method for forming the cavity further includes forming at least one first vent hole of a first dimension which is sized to avoid or minimize material deposition on a beam structure during sealing processes. The method for forming the cavity further includes forming at least one second vent hole of a second dimension, larger than the first dimension.

The present invention is directed to an EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly. The EMI feedthrough filter terminal assembly comprises: a feedthrough filter capacitor having a plurality of first electrode layers and a plurality of second electrode layers and a first passageway therethrough having a first termination surface conductively coupling the plurality of first electrode layers; at least one conductive terminal pin extending through the passageway in conductive relation with the plurality of first electrode layers; a feedthrough ferrule; an insulator fixed to the feedthrough ferrule for conductively isolating the conductive terminal pin from the feedthrough ferrule; a hermetically sealing material between the insulator and the feedthrough ferrule; and a resin coating over the hermetically sealing material.

An electromechanical power switch device and methods thereof. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are devices including a semiconductor substrate, at least one integrated circuit device on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer on the at least one integrated circuit device, and an electromechanical power switch on the insulating layer. By way of example, the electromechanical power switch may include a source and a drain, a body region disposed between the source and the drain, and a gate including a switching metal layer. In some embodiments, the body region includes a first body portion and a second body portion spaced a distance from the first body portion and defining a body discontinuity therebetween. Additionally, in various examples, the switching metal layer may be disposed over the body discontinuity.