A MEMS switch includes a first signal line provided in a first beam, a first GND adjacent to the first signal line, a second signal line provided in a second beam, and a second GND adjacent to the second signal line. A contact terminal is fixed to any one of the first signal line and the second signal line and performs connection between the first signal line and the second signal line according to deformation of the first beam.

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 radio frequency (RF) front end device is disclosed. The device comprises a plurality of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) transfer switches having a plurality of parallel switch inputs and parallel switch outputs. The device comprises a plurality of banks of a plurality of parallel signal conditioning devices and each bank comprising a plurality of parallel paths having an input side and an output side, at least two of the banks of the plurality of signal conditioning devices couple the input side to the plurality of parallel switch outputs of a preceding MEMS transfer switch and the output side to the plurality of parallel switch inputs of a succeeding MEMS transfer switch. The MEMS transfer switches are controlled to condition a wideband signal through a selected set of signal conditioning devices to improve selection sensitivity of at least one frequency in a wideband. A method and RF communications device are also disclosed.

A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) cavity includes forming a first sacrificial cavity layer over a wiring layer and substrate. The method further includes forming an insulator layer over the first sacrificial cavity layer. The method further includes performing a reverse damascene etchback process on the insulator layer. The method further includes planarizing the insulator layer and the first sacrificial cavity layer. The method further includes venting or stripping of the first sacrificial cavity layer to a planar surface for a first cavity of the MEMS.

Deep via technology is used to construct an integrated silicon cantilever and cavity oriented in a vertical plane which creates an electrostatically-switched MEMS switch in a small wafer area. Another embodiment is a small wafer area electrostatically-switched, vertical-cantilever MEMS switch wherein the switch cavity is etched within a volume defined by walls grown internally within a silicon substrate using through vias.

Deep via technology is used to construct an integrated silicon cantilever and cavity oriented in a vertical plane which creates an electrostatically-switched MEMS switch in a small wafer area. Another embodiment is a small wafer area electrostatically-switched, vertical-cantilever MEMS switch wherein the switch cavity is etched within a volume defined by walls grown internally within a silicon substrate using through vias.

An electronic device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the substrate, wherein the substrate has first and second connection vias which penetrate through the substrate in the thickness direction of the substrate, and first and second conductive pillars are respectively in the first connection via and the second connection via; a switch on the first surface of the substrate and comprising first and second signal electrodes, wherein the first signal electrode is electrically coupled to a first terminal of the first conductive pillar, and the second signal electrode is electrically coupled to a first terminal of the second conductive pillar; and a filter on the second surface of the substrate.

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.

MEMS devices having discharge circuits. In some embodiments, a MEMS device can include a substrate and an electromechanical assembly implemented on the substrate. The MEMS device can further include a discharge circuit implemented relative to the electromechanical assembly. The discharge circuit can be configured to provide a preferred arcing path during a discharge condition affecting the electromechanical assembly. The MEMS device can be, for example, a switching device, a capacitance device, a gyroscope sensor device, an accelerometer device, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, or a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) device. The discharge circuit can include a spark gap assembly having one or more spark gap elements configured to facilitate the preferred arcing path.

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.