Electrostatically Tunable Meta-Atoms Integrated With In Situ Fabricated MEMS Cantilever Beam Arrays

Author

Coutu, Ronald A., Jr. ; Collins, Peter J. ; Moore, Elizabeth A. ; Langley, Derrick ; Jussaume, Matthew E. ; Starman, LaVern A.

Author_Institution

Air Force Inst. of Technol., Dayton, OH, USA

Volume

20

Issue

6

fYear

2011

Firstpage

1366

Lastpage

1371

Abstract

Two concentric split ring resonators (SRRs) or meta-atoms designed to have a resonant frequency of 14 GHz are integrated with microelectromechanical systems cantilever arrays to enable electrostatic tuning of the resonant frequency. The entire structure was fabricated monolithically to improve scalability and minimize losses from externally wire-bonded components. A cantilever array was fabricated in the gap of both the inner and outer SRRs and consisted of five evenly spaced beams with lengths ranging from 300 to 400 μm. The cantilevers pulled in between 15 and 24 V depending on the beam geometry. Each pulled-in beam increased the SRR gap capacitance resulting in an overall 1-GHz shift of the measured meta-atom resonant frequency.

Keywords

cantilevers; micromechanical devices; micromechanical resonators; MEMS cantilever beam arrays; SRR gap capacitance; beam geometry; concentric split ring resonators; electrostatic tuning; electrostatically tunable meta-atoms; frequency 14 GHz; meta-atom resonant frequency; microelectromechanical systems cantilever arrays; resonant frequency; size 300 mum to 400 mum; voltage 15 V to 24 V; wire-bonded components; Capacitance; Capacitors; Micromechanical devices; Resonant frequency; Resonators; Structural beams; Voltage measurement; Cantilever; meta-atom; microelectromechanical systems (MEMS); split ring resonators (SRRs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1057-7157

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JMEMS.2011.2167659

Filename

6033037