Fabrication and assembly of high gain MEMS antennas for wireless communications

Polymer based fabrication and assembly processes for producing suspended antenna devices have been developed. Stacked high gain patch antenna devices have been assembled using millimeter thick micromachined SU8 polymer ring spacers. Thin polyimide substrates (125 mum) were used for supporting the radiating and parasitic patch elements. The SU8 based polymer rings were used to create air space between the patches and the microwave substrate for high gain wide band operation. The polymer rings also form cavities to protect the patches and substrate from moisture and particles. An aperture coupled stacked patch antenna consisting of two patch elements was designed using an electromagnetic simulation package. The antenna device was fabricated in layers and then assembled to obtain a 3D antenna device. The detailed fabrication and assembly processes was described. RF measurements showed high gain wide band operation of the device and the results are in good agreement with that of simulation. The average gain and the bandwidth of the antenna device were determined to be 7.2 dBi and -40% respectively.