A sub-1-volt nanoelectromechanical switching device

Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches have received widespread attention as promising candidates in the drive to surmount the physical limitations currently faced by complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. The NEM switch has demonstrated superior characteristics including quasi-zero leakage behaviour, excellent density capability and operation in harsh environments. However, an unacceptably high operating voltage (4-20 V) has posed a major obstacle in the practical use of the NEM switch in low-power integrated circuits. To utilize the NEM switch widely as a core device component in ultralow power applications, the operation voltage needs to be reduced to 1 V or below. However, sub-1 V actuation has not yet been demonstrated because of fabrication difficulties and irreversible switching failure caused by surface adhesion. Here, we report the sub-1 V operation of a NEM switch through the introduction of a novel pipe clip device structure and an effective air gap fabrication technique. This achievement is primarily attributed to the incorporation of a 4-nm-thick air gap, which is the smallest reported so far for a NEM switch generated using a 'top-down' approach. Our structure and process can potentially be utilized in various nanogap-related applications, including NEM switch-based ultralow-power integrated circuits, NEM resonators, nanogap electrodes for scientific research and sensors.