微機械簧片開關為許多MEMS應用提供了新的解決方案。

　　一個微型開關使范圍廣泛的各種應用需要高可靠性，體積小，成本低。

　　微細加工技術(shù)，簡單地說，是利用半導體制造設備，以這樣的方式，創(chuàng)造微機械系統(tǒng)，服務于特定的目的。該公司的目標是開發(fā)一個小型的，密封的簧片開關，就像大功能，標準密封簧片開關。

　　簧片開關的基本臨界要求是當觸點接近足夠強度的磁場時，觸點必須閉合，當開關處于關閉狀態(tài)或打開狀態(tài)時，它們必須產(chǎn)生零功率。該已經(jīng)開發(fā)出一種超小型，密封簧片開關與瑞士斯沃琪集團合作。瑞士斯沃琪集團以外，梅代爾是全球獨家營銷機構(gòu)為微小型簧片開關。

　　By definition， a reed switch is a small， electromechanical device that contains one or more ferromagnetic reeds hermetically sealed in a glass envelope. When the reed switch is brought into a magnetic field， the reeds close， creating a switching function. A typical reed switch is shown in Figure 1. The nickel/iron base metals are relatively soft and would not be good choices for use in a reed switch. This is because high switching loads initiate massive metal transfer， causing the contacts to become stuck in the closed position. However， the switch‘s ferromagnetic properties are essential for proper magnetic actuation. A more preferable manufacturing option is the use of a hard metal at the switching contact surface. Typically， rhodium and/or ruthenium have been used adding dramatically longer life to the reed switch. However， whether one is plating or sputtering the hard metal layer to the ferromagnetic leads， a transition layer is needed to insure that all the metals metallurgically bond to each other. Gold， copper， and tungsten are often used as transition layers.