Quest for an ideal switching device for ultra-low power applications leads to an exploration of novel micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (M/NEMS) switches. This research has been driven by the superior performance of M/NEMS devices, such as ideally abrupt switching with zero off-state leakage, suitable for harsh and extreme environments, and very small footprints. The suspended element of the NEMS switch is electro-mechanically moved by the applied electric field to establish physical contact with the counterpart of the switch, and thereby the conducting channel is established. However, an unacceptably high switching voltage of NEMS switches is the main obstacle to their practical use of it in low-power integrated circuits. In particular, sub-0.5 V switching voltage with a very small switch footprint, which is needed for ultra-low power circuits, has not yet been demonstrated because of irreversible switching failure caused by surface adhesion. Moreover, once physical contact is created in NEMS switches, the switch contact area is increased, which leads to the domination of the surface attraction force over the mechanical restoring force; and as a result, permanent adhesion occurs.
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