Floating electrode microelectromechanical system capacitive switches: A different actuation mechanism

Abstract

The paper investigates the actuation mechanism in floating electrode MEMS capacitive switches. It is demonstrated that in the pull-in state the device operation turns from voltage to current controlled actuation. The current arises from Poole-Frenkel mechanism in the dielectric film and Fowler-Nordheim in the bridge-floating electrode air gap. The pull-out voltage seems to arise from the abrupt decrease of Fowler-Nordheim electric field intensity. This mechanism seems to be responsible for the very small difference with respect to the pull-in voltage