Abstract: A three-stage liquid metal switch employing electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD), including a common EWOD switch 1310 having an input port 1302, a first shared-EWOD-switch output 1336, and a second shared-EWOD-switch output 1338; a first EWOD switch 1340 having a first-EWOD-switch input 1343, a first output port 1304, and a first-EWOD-switch output 1368; and a second EWOD switch 1370 having a second-EWOD-switch input 1373, a second output port 1306, and a second-EWOD-switch output 1398; wherein the first shared-EWOD-switch output 1336 is operably connected to the first-EWOD-switch input 1343, and the second shared-EWOD-switch output 1338 is operably connected to the second-EWOD-switch input 1373.

Abstract: A self-healing liquid contact switch and methods for producing such devices are disclosed. An illustrative self-healing liquid contact switch can include an upper actuating surface and a lower actuating surface each having a number of liquid contact regions thereon configured to wet with a liquid metal. The upper and lower actuating surfaces can be brought together electrostatically by an upper and lower actuating electrode. During operation, the liquid metal can be configured to automatically rearrange during each actuating cycle to permit the switch to self-heal.

Abstract: An electrical relay that uses a conducting liquid in the switching mechanism. In the relay, a pair of fixed electrical contacts is held a small distance from a pair of moveable electrical contacts. The facing surfaces of the contacts each support a droplet of a conducting liquid, such as a liquid metal. A piezoelectric or magnetorestrictive actuator is energized to move the pair of moveable contacts, closing the gap between one of the fixed contacts and one of the moveable contacts, thereby causing conducting liquid droplets to coalesce and form an electrical circuit. At the same time, the gap between the other fixed contact and the other moveable contact is increased, thereby causing conducting liquid droplets to separate and break an electrical circuit. The actuator is then de-energized and the moveable electrical contacts return to their starting positions. The volume of liquid metal is chosen so that liquid metal droplets remain coalesced or separated because of surface tension in the liquid.

Abstract: A switch for use in an inductive energy store transfer circuit utilizes a quantity of electrically conductive liquid bidirectionally flowable between a position that establishes electrical connection between electrodes and a position that opens electrical connection between the electrodes. High pressure gas biases the liquid to a position that establishes electrical connection between the electrodes, and yieldably resists movement of the liquid toward the position that opens electrical connection between the electrodes. Current through the switch electrodes produces a magnetic force that acts on the liquid and urges it toward the position that opens electrical connection between the electrodes. Switching action occurs upon a predetermined magnitude of current being attained.