A micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) switch
is one of the most promising MEMS applications. It is almost
the ideal switching device with superior performance in comparison
to conventional semiconductor switching devices. The
remaining issue is its short lifetime due to the failure of the
contact. Therefore, we examine degradation mechanisms at the
mechanical contact point in the MEMS switch by operating it in
the transmission electron microscope for real-time observation.
Material transfer, delamination, destruction, and bridge formation
at a gold contact point are in-situ visualized during the
contact and separation process of the MEMS switch. Although
gold is a favorable material in terms of low contact resistance,
our results suggest that the contact material should be hard and
have a high melting point for long lifetime.
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