A Planar Single-Actuator BI-Stable Switch Based on a Hookless Nonuniform ARC-Shaped Mechanism

This paper reports a compact, planar bi-stable electromechanical switch, which employs a nonuniform, arc-shaped design without hook locking, replacing the traditional sharp beams or latching structures. This design results in smooth contact, a compact form, and improved stability and durability. The device, fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, can hold the mechanical switch setting and resetting at minimum voltages of 7.9 V and 7.0 V, respectively, and with a resistance of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$1.7\ \mathrm{k}\Omega$</tex> in the ON state. Compared to existing technologies, the ON and OFF state voltages are reduced by 11.2% and 19.5%, respectively, while the resistance in the ON state is reduced by 75.4%. The bi-stable switch has been tested to exceed 17,000 cycles in rigorous electrical tests, demonstrating high robustness and durability. These results suggest that the developed switch is a promising candidate for low power applications.