A 2-bit miniature X-band MEMS phase shifter

Author

Tan, Guan-Leng ; Mihailovich, Robert E. ; Hacker, Jonathan B. ; DeNatale, Jeffrey F. ; Rebeiz, Gabriel M.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

13

Issue

4

fYear

2003

fDate

4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

146

Lastpage

148

Abstract

The design and performance of a compact low-loss X-band true-time-delay (TTD) MEMS phase shifter fabricated on 8-mil GaAs substrate is described. A semi-lumped approach using microstrip transmission lines and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors is employed for the delay lines in order to both reduce circuit size as well as avoid the high insertion loss found in typical miniaturized designs. The 2-bit phase shifter achieved an average insertion loss of -0.70 dB at 9.45 GHz, and an associated phase accuracy of /spl plusmn/1.3/spl deg/. It occupies an area of only 5 mm/sup 2/, which is 44% the area of the smallest known X-band MEMS phase shifter . The phase shifter operates over 6-14 GHz with a return loss of better than -14 dB.

Keywords

delay lines; micromechanical devices; microwave phase shifters; -0.70 dB; -14 dB; 2 bit; 6 to 14 GHz; 8 mil; 9.45 GHz; GaAs; GaAs substrate; MIM capacitor; X-band true-time-delay MEMS phase shifter; delay line; insertion loss; microstrip transmission line; return loss; semi-lumped design; Delay lines; Distributed parameter circuits; Gallium arsenide; Insertion loss; MIM capacitors; Metal-insulator structures; Micromechanical devices; Microstrip; Phase shifters; Propagation losses;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2003.811070

Filename

1193048