High-Q millimeter-wave MEMS varactors: extended tuning range and discrete-position designs

Author

Dussopt, L. ; Rebeiz, G.M.

Author_Institution

Radiat. Lab., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

2

fYear

2002

fDate

2-7 June 2002

Firstpage

1205

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication and measurement of two high-Q micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) varactors suitable for 20-60 GHz applications. The varactors are composed of a movable bridge placed in a shunt configuration on a coplanar waveguide line. The first design is an extended tuning range varactor showing a capacitance ratio of 1.46. The second design demonstrates a discrete-position varactor with a capacitance ratio of 1.90. Both designs result in a tuning voltage of 18-25 V and an excellent quality factor of 95-100 at 34 GHz (C=80 fF). The very high resonant frequency of the varactors makes them suitable for applications at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies.

Keywords

Q-factor; micromechanical devices; microwave devices; millimetre wave devices; tuning; varactors; 18 to 25 V; 20 to 60 GHz; 80 fF; CPW line; EHF; MM-wave varactors; SHF; coplanar waveguide line; discrete-position designs; extended tuning range varactor; high-Q MEMS varactors; micro-electro-mechanical varactors; microwave frequencies; millimeter-wave MEMS varactors; millimeter-wave frequencies; quality factor; shunt configuration; Bridge circuits; Capacitance; Coplanar waveguides; Fabrication; Micromechanical devices; Millimeter wave measurements; Q factor; Tuning; Varactors; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Symposium Digest, 2002 IEEE MTT-S International

Conference_Location

Seattle, WA, USA

ISSN

0149-645X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7239-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MWSYM.2002.1011869

Filename

1011869