Design and simulation of high performance RF MEMS series switch

This paper describes the process, design the switch structures and simulate certain parameters to develop a high performance RF MEMS switch with low voltage, low loss and high isolation. The RF MEMS switches are series switches type and are designed using physical level approach by using 3D MEMS commercial software package, Intellisuite. These switch structures are first designed using 2D layout which then is converted to 3D model to simulate the actuation voltage. The optimization analysis also simulated to obtain the low voltage with the adjustment of air gap distance and top electrode design structure. The RF performance is then simulated using the electromagnetic analyzer, Emag to calculate the insertion loss and isolation value during the ON and OFF state conditions. Several designs are proposed and the best performance switch gives a low voltage actuation of 7V with low loss of0.083 dB and high isolation of -78.3 dB at 1.2 GHz.