RF MEMS: Silicon micro-mechanical capacitive structures

The general study is dedicated to Wireless Sensor Networks. The idea is to associate micro-mechanical and microwave communication functions to exchange information between a remote sensor and a base station [1]. A specific part of this project concerns the conception, realisation, and characterisation of a passive microwave frequency shifter used for back-modulation around 2 GHz. The interesting point was to develop this function with an integrated silicon micro-mechanical rotating structure. The paper describes the prototype of the RF MEMS already developed in ESIEE laboratory. And we insist on the microwave measurements performed and the associated equivalent models.