Design and fabrication of miniature relay matrix and investigation of electromechanical interference in multi-actuator systems

An 8/spl times/8 matrix relay is developed by using microsystem design and conventional machining technology. The prototype has a multilayered planar structure and 64 electromagnetic bistable switches. The system size, 28/spl times/32/spl times/7 mm, is about one tenth that of conventional relays in volume. The actuator forces generated by the spiral spring and the electro- and permanent magnets are theoretically analyzed and the results agree well with experiments. The mechanical and magnetic interference between switch actuators and the electrostatic interference between signal lines is also theoretically analyzed. The contact force is proportional. To the square of the device length, the mechanical and electrical interference are independent of the length, the electrostatic interference is proportional to the length, and the limit of miniaturization is one tenth the size of the prototype.