Article comprising improved noble metal-based alloys and method for making the same

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(11)

EP 1 096 523 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	18.06.2003 Bulletin 2003/25

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	02.05.2001 Bulletin 2001/18

(21)	Application number: 00309103.0

(22)	Date of filing: 16.10.2000

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: H01H 1/02

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

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Priority:

25.10.1999 US 161290 P
25.10.1999 US 161291 P
18.01.2000 US 484627

(71)	Applicant: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
	Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974-0636 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Bishop, David John Summit, New Jersey 07901 (US) Jin, Sungho Millington, New Jersey 07946 (US) Kim, Jungsang Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920 (US) Ramirez, Ainissa C. Chatham, New Jersey 07928 (US) van Dover, Robert Bruce Maplewood, New Jersey 07040 (US)

(74)	Representative: Williams, David John et al
	Page White & Farrer, 54 Doughty Street London WC1N 2LS London WC1N 2LS (GB)

(54)	Article comprising improved noble metal-based alloys and method for making the same

(57) A device having electrical contacts formed from an alloy having improved wear resistance is provided, the alloy being particularly useful in microrelay devices formed by MEMS technology. In one embodiment, the alloys are chosen to allow sufficient precipitation hardening to improve wear resistance, but keep precipitation below a level that would unacceptably reduce electrical conductivity. This is achieved by using alloying materials that have very limited or no solid solubility in the noble metal matrix, e.g., less than 4 wt.% solid solubility. In a second embodiment, an alloy contains a noble metal matrix and insoluble, dispersoid particles having no solubility in the matrix, these dispersoid particles offering a similar strengthening mechanism.

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