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Proceedings ArticleDOI

Low actuation series switch

01 Feb 2015-pp 1110-1113
TL;DR: In this article, a kind of RF MEMS switch with a special cantilever beam section was proposed to solve the problem of actuation voltage and residual stress in series switches.
Abstract: This paper mainly concentrate on the mechanical and RF characteristics of RF MEMS series switch. This paper proposes a kind of RF MEMS switch with a special cantilever beam section which will solve the problem of actuation voltage and residual stress. The cantilever beam section having actuation voltage of 5V with stress factor 0.96Mpa. The insertion loss of the switch is 0.1dB and return loss was around 19dB at 20 GHz.
References
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Book
01 Jan 2003
TL;DR: In this paper, the basics of RF MEMS and how to design practical devices and circuits are discussed, as well as expert tips for designers and a range of real-world applications.
Abstract: From the Publisher: Practical and theoretical coverage of RF MEMS for circuits and devices New RF and microwave frequency MEMS (microeletromechanical systems) have potentially enormous and widespread applications in the telecommunications industry. Components based on this technology–such as switches, varactors, and phase shifters–exhibit virtually no power consumption or loss, making them ideally suited for use in modern telecommunications and wireless devices. This book sets out the basics of RF MEMS and describes how to design practical devices and circuits. As well as covering fundamentals, Gabriel Rebeiz offers expert tips for designers and presents a range of real-world applications. Throughout, the author utilizes actual engineering examples to illustrate basic principles in theory and practice. Detailed discussion of cutting-edge fabrication and packaging techniques is provided. Suitable as a tutorial for electrical and computer engineering students, or as an up-to-date reference for practicing circuit designers, RF MEMS provides the most comprehensive available survey of this new and important technology. Author Biography: Gabriel M. Rebeiz received his PhD from the California Institute of Technology, and is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1991 he was the recipient of the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, and in 2000 was the corecipient of the IEEE Microwave Prize. A Fellow of the IEEE and a consultant to Rockwell, Samsung, Intel, Standard MEMS, and Agilent, he has published extensively in the field of microwave technology and in the area of RF MEMS.

1,895 citations


"Low actuation series switch" refers background in this paper

  • ...MEMS are generally small in size but the application demand of this technology is increasing day by day because of its low power consumption compared to the conventional switches like p-i-n diode or GaAs Field effect transistors (FET)[2]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors concentrate on electrostatic switches at 0.1-100 GHz with high reliability (100 million to 10 billion cycles) and wafer-scale manufacturing techniques.
Abstract: MEMS switches are devices that use mechanical movement to achieve a short circuit or an open circuit in the RF transmission line. RF MEMS switches are the specific micromechanical switches that are designed to operate at RF-to-millimeter-wave frequencies (0.1 to 100 GHz). The forces required for the mechanical movement can be obtained using electrostatic, magnetostatic, piezoelectric, or thermal designs. To date, only electrostatic-type switches have been demonstrated at 0.1-100 GHz with high reliability (100 million to 10 billion cycles) and wafer-scale manufacturing techniques. It is for this reason that this article will concentrate on electrostatic switches.

1,066 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an electromagnetic model for membrane microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) shunt switches for microwave/millimeter-wave applications is presented, where the up-state capacitance can be accurately modeled using three-dimensional static solvers and full-wave solvers are used to predict the current distribution and inductance of the switch.
Abstract: This paper, the first of two parts, presents an electromagnetic model for membrane microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) shunt switches for microwave/millimeter-wave applications. The up-state capacitance can be accurately modeled using three-dimensional static solvers, and full-wave solvers are used to predict the current distribution and inductance of the switch. The loss in the up-state position is equivalent to the coplanar waveguide line loss and is 0.01-0.02 dB at 10-30 GHz for a 2-/spl mu/m-thick Au MEMS shunt switch. It is seen that the capacitance, inductance, and series resistance can be accurately extracted from DC-40 GHz S-parameter measurements. It is also shown that dramatic increase in the down-state isolation (20/sup +/ dB) can be achieved with the choice of the correct LC series resonant frequency of the switch. In part 2 of this paper, the equivalent capacitor-inductor-resistor model is used in the design of tuned high isolation switches at 10 and 30 GHz.

384 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the LC series resonance of the shunt switch was used to tune two and four-bridge "cross" switches from 10 to 40 GHz with an insertion loss of less than 0.3-0.6 dB, a return loss below -20 dB from 22 to 38 GHz in the up state, and a downstate isolation of 45-50 dB with only 1.5 pF of downstate capacitance.
Abstract: For pt.1 see ibid., vol.48, no.6, p.1045-1052 (2000). In this paper, the second of two parts, the equivalent RLC model of the shunt switch is used in the design of tuned two- and four-bridge "cross" switches from 10 to 40 GHz. The cross switch attained an insertion loss of less than 0.3-0.6 dB, a return loss below -20 dB from 22 to 38 GHz in the up state, and a down-state isolation of 45-50 dB with only 1.5 pF of down-state capacitance (C/sub d/). Also, an X-band microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch with an insertion loss of less than 0.2 dB and an isolation of 35 dB is presented. This is done by inductively tuning the LC series resonance of the shunt switch. The MEMS bridge height is 1.5-2.5 /spl mu/m, resulting in a pull-down voltage of 15-25 V. Application areas are in low-loss high-isolation communication and radar.

320 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a new way to design MEMS (microelectromechanical system) metal contact switches for RF applications using miniature MEMS cantilevers was presented, and a single 25 × 25 μm switch was first demonstrated with a Au-to-Ru contact, Cu = 5 fF and Ron = 7 Ω at an actuation voltage of 55 V. The measured switching time is 2.2 μs and the release time is <;1 μs.
Abstract: This paper presents a new way to design MEMS (microelectromechanical system) metal contact switches for RF applications using miniature MEMS cantilevers. A single 25 × 25 μm switch is first demonstrated with a Au-to-Ru contact, Cu = 5 fF and Ron = 7 Ω at an actuation voltage of 55 V. The measured switching time is 2.2 μs and the release time is <;1 μs. The switch is robust to stress effects (residual and stress gradients) which increases its yield on large wafers. To reduce the effective switch resistance, 10-20 miniature RF MEMS switches have been placed in parallel and result in equal current division between the switches, an up-state capacitance of 30-65 fF and a down-state resistance of 1.4-1.5 Ω. Furthermore, 10-20 element back-to-back switch arrays are developed and result in a marked improvement in the reliability of the overall switching device. A series-shunt design is also demonstrated with greatly improved isolation. The device has a figure-of-merit of fc = 1/(2πRonCu) = 3.8 THz (RonCu = 42 fs).

79 citations