Described herein is a technique capable of forming a sacrificial film with a high wet etching rate so as to obtain a wet etching selectivity with respect to a movable electrode when manufacturing a cantilever structure sensor. According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: (a) placing a substrate with a sacrificial film containing impurities on a substrate support in a process chamber, wherein the sacrificial film is formed so as to cover a control electrode, a pedestal and a counter electrode formed on the substrate; (b) heating the substrate; and (c) modifying the sacrificial film into a modified sacrificial film by supplying an oxygen-containing gas in a plasma state to the substrate to desorb the impurities from the sacrificial film after (b).

A micro-electromechanical (MEM) relay and its fabrication process. The MEM relay includes a movable actuator electrode anchored to a substrate with two cantilever beams. Below the actuator electrode, there are three fixed electrodes. These three electrodes are the gate, the input, and the output contacts. The square base of the actuator electrode, and the square gate electrode below it, form an electrostatic parallel-plate actuator. When a voltage is applied between the actuator electrode and the gate electrode, the actuator electrode is pulled-down due to electrostatic attraction closing the relay. When the voltage is removed, the cantilever beams act as springs opening the relay.

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first cantilevered electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode over an electrode and operable to contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to the electrode, and forming an arm on the first cantilevered electrode with an extending protrusion extending upward from an upper surface of the arm.

An integrated transistor in the form of a nanoscale electromechanical switch eliminates CMOS current leakage and increases switching speed. The nanoscale electromechanical switch features a semiconducting cantilever that extends from a portion of the substrate into a cavity. The cantilever flexes in response to a voltage applied to the transistor gate thus forming a conducting channel underneath the gate. When the device is off, the cantilever returns to its resting position. Such motion of the cantilever breaks the circuit, restoring a void underneath the gate that blocks current flow, thus solving the problem of leakage. Fabrication of the nano-electromechanical switch is compatible with existing CMOS transistor fabrication processes. By doping the cantilever and using a back bias and a metallic cantilever tip, sensitivity of the switch can be further improved. A footprint of the nano-electromechanical switch can be as small as 0.10.1 m.sup.2.

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first cantilevered electrode over a first electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode over a second electrode and operable to directly contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to at least one of the first electrode and a second electrode, and the first cantilevered electrode includes an arm with an extending protrusion which extends upward from an upper surface of the arm.

A switch circuit includes at least a first and a second switch element connected in series and a switch control configured for providing control signals for switching the first and the second switch element, such that the control signals have a different timing and such that the first and the second switch element perform one joint switch function.

An microelectromechanical switch uses electrostatic attraction to draw a beam toward a contact and electromagnetic repulsion to disengage and repel the beam from the contact. The electrostatic attraction is generated by a gate electrode. The electromagnetic repulsion is generated between the beam and a magnetic coil positioned on the same side of the beam as the contact. The magnetic coil produces a magnetic field, which induces a current in the beam that repels the magnetic coil. The gate electrode and the magnetic coil may be co-planar or in different planes. A circuit may also operate a coil-shaped structure act as the gate electrode and the magnetic coil, depending on the configuration.

MEMS switches and methods of manufacturing MEMS switches is provided. The MEMS switch having at least two cantilevered electrodes having ends which overlap and which are structured and operable to contact one another upon an application of a voltage by at least one fixed electrode.

A coaxial RF switch comprising a pair of coaxial conductors and a confinement flexure affixing to a conductor reed, wherein said confinement flexure having at least one fixed end such that the conductor reed can move freely and consistently to make and break the connections to the coaxial conductors.

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first cantilevered electrode over a first fixed electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode with an end that overlaps the first cantilevered electrode, forming a third cantilevered electrode operable to directly contact the first cantilevered electrode upon an application of a voltage to a second fixed electrode, and forming a hermetically sealed volume encapsulating the first fixed electrode, the second fixed electrode, the first cantilevered electrode, and the second cantilevered electrode.