According to one aspect of the invention, there is proposed a capacitive radiofrequency MicroElectroMechanical System or capacitive RF MEMS comprising a metallic membrane suspended above an RF transmission line and resting on ground planes, and exhibiting a lower face, an upper face opposite to the lower face and a first layer comprising a refractory metallic material at least partially covering the upper face of the membrane so as to prevent the heating of the membrane.

A MEMS device having a body with a first and a second surface, a first portion and a second portion. The MEMS device further has a cavity extending in the body from the second surface; a deformable portion between the first surface and the cavity; and a piezoelectric actuator arranged on the first surface, on the deformable portion. The deformable portion has a first region with a first thickness and a second region with a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The second region is adjacent to the first region and to the first portion of the body.

A power relay circuit for switching a load current includes a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch and a semiconductor power switch. The MEMS switch and the semiconductor power switch are connected in series with the load current.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

A stacked film includes an oxide film including a ZrO.sub.2 film, a metal oxide film provided on the oxide film, and a predetermined metal film provided on the metal oxide film and having a single orientation, and the metal oxide film is a PtO film or a PdO film. In the case of this structure, the predetermined metal film has a single orientation, and characteristics of the piezoelectric film such as PZT formed on the predetermined metal film are improved. Therefore, excellent characteristics such as an increase in the driving force due to the piezoelectric film or a reduction in leakage current can be exhibited.

A method of forming a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes forming a lower electrode on a first insulator layer within a cavity of the MEMS. The method further includes forming an upper electrode over another insulator material on top of the lower electrode which is at least partially in contact with the lower electrode. The forming of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes adjusting a metal volume of the lower electrode and the upper electrode to modify beam bending.

Technologies for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) made up of composable piezoelectric actuators is disclosed. An elongated piezoelectric rod is disposed between a top and a bottom electrode. The top electrode runs along one edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for a first segment, then runs along the other edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for the a second segment. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, the piezoelectric rod bends in a first direction for the first segment and in a second direction opposite the first for the second segment, displacing the tip of the rod. Several such rods can be joined in parallel and/or series, allowing for large-scale systems to be composed.