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).

An electromechanical switching device includes a first electrode, comprising layers of a first 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a first surface; a second electrode, comprising layers of a second 2D layered material, which layers exhibit a second surface opposite the first surface; and an actuation mechanism; wherein each of the first and second 2D layered materials has an anisotropic electrical conductivity, which is lower transversely to its layers than in-plane with the layers; the first electrode includes two distinct areas alongside the first surface, which areas differ in at least one structural, electrical and/or magnetic property; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is actuatable by the actuation mechanism, such that actuation thereof for modification of an electrical conductance transverse to each of the first surface and the second surface to enable current modulation between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS switch that is used to hot switch a source of current or voltage. At least one surface of the MEMS switch is treated with an ion milling machine to reduce surface roughness to less than about 10 nm rms.

A method for forming electrical contacts on a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The method includes forming a first metal layer over the substrate, and forming a layer of a second metal oxide by sputter deposition of a second metal in an oxygen environment. In some embodiments, the second metal oxide may be ruthenium dioxide, and the first metal layer may be gold, copper, platinum, silver or aluminum.

The present invention generally relates to an RF MEMS DVC and a method for manufacture thereof. To ensure that undesired grain growth does not occur and contribute to an uneven RF electrode, a multilayer stack comprising an AlCu layer and a layer containing titanium may be used. The titanium diffuses into the AlCu layer at higher temperatures such that the grain growth of the AlCu will be inhibited and the switching element can be fabricated with a consistent structure, which leads to a consistent, predictable capacitance during operation.

A electromechanical relay device (100) comprising a source electrode (102), a beam (104) mounted on the source electrode at a first end and electrically coupled to the source electrode; a first drain electrode (112) located adjacent a second end of the beam, wherein a first contact (110) on the beam is arranged to be separated from a second contact (112) on the first drain electrode when the relay device is in a first condition; a first gate electrode (106 arranged to cause the beam to deflect, to electrically couple the first contact and the second contact such that the device is in a second condition; and wherein the first and second contacts are each coated with a layer of nanocrystalline graphite.

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.

A microelectromechanical switch having improved isolation and insertion loss characteristics and reduced liability for stiction. The switch includes a signal line having an input port and an output port between first and second ground planes. The switch also includes a beam for controlling activation of the switch. In some embodiments, the switch further includes one or more defected ground structures formed in the first and second ground planes, and a corresponding secondary deflectable beam positioned over each defected ground structure. In some embodiments, the switch includes a metamaterial structure for generating a repulsive Casimir force.

The present application discloses a method for forming electrical contacts on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a first metal layer over the substrate, and forming a layer of a second metal oxide by sputter deposition of a second metal in an oxygen environment.

A method of fabricating and packaging an ohmic micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch device may comprise constructing the switch device on an insulating substrate. The switch device may have contacts that consist of a platinum-group metal. The method may further comprise forming an oxidized layer of the platinum-group metal on an outer surface of each of the one or more contacts. The method may further comprise bonding an insulating cap to the insulating substrate, to hermetically seal the switch device. The bonding may occur in an atmosphere that has a proportion of oxygen within a range of 0.5% to 30%, such that, after the switch device has been hermetically sealed within the sealed cavity, an atmosphere within the sealed cavity has a proportion of oxygen within the range of 0.5% to 30%. The platinum-group metal may be ruthenium, and the oxidized layer of the platinum-group metal may be ruthenium dioxide.