Ultra-Low-Voltage Operation of MEM Relays for Cryogenic Logic Applications

Operation of micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) relays at temperatures down to 4 K is demonstrated for the first time. Due to a dramatic reduction in hysteretic switching behavior and elimination of contact oxidation, MEM relays can be operated reliably with sub-25 mV voltage signals at temperatures below 100 K. This makes them advantageous for implementing ultra-low-power digital logic circuits for cryogenic applications such as quantum computing.