ELECTRICAL CONNECTION THROUGH A SUBSTRATE TO A MICROELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE

摘要

An electrical through-connection, or via, that passes through a substrate (2 2) to a bus (28) on a first surface (21) of the substrate (22). The via may be configured with an interlock (46) such that the electrically conductive core (60) of th e via is constrained to thermally expand towards the second surface (23), away from t he bus (28), thus preventing damage to the bus (28). The interlock (46) may be a local constriction or enlargement of the via near the first surface (21) of the substrate (22). The via may be greater in length along the bus (28) than a unit spacing of beams (30) in a parallel microswitch array (20) actuated in unison along the bus (28). The via may be narrower in width than in length, and may form a trapezoidal geometry that is larger at the second surface (23) of the substrate (22) than at the first surface (21).