DC-Contact RF MEMS Switches using Thin-Film Cantilevers

Author

Shen, Hui ; Gong, Songbin ; Barker, N. Scott

Author_Institution

Charles L. Brown Dept. of ECE, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

fYear

2008

fDate

27-28 Oct. 2008

Firstpage

382

Lastpage

385

Abstract

This paper describes the development of DC-contact RF-MEMS SPST, SP3T, and SP4T switches implemented with a thin-film cantilever. Using aluminium as the sacrificial layer in the fabrication process, flat cantilevers are realized with a measured actuation voltage of 50~70 V. The SPST switch is used as a building block to realize more complicated SP3T and SP4T switches for use in true-time delay phase shifters. The preliminary measurements of the SP3T and SP4T switches demonstrate isolation of 20 dB and insertion loss less than 2 dB up to 50 GHz.

Keywords

aluminium; cantilevers; delays; microfabrication; microswitches; millimetre wave phase shifters; Al; DC-contact RF-MEMS SPST switch; SP3T switch design; SP4T switch; aluminium layer; fabrication process; frequency 50 GHz; insertion loss; measured actuation voltage; single-pole single-throw switch; thin-film cantilever; true-time delay phase shifter; voltage 50 V to 70 V; Aluminum; Delay; Fabrication; Loss measurement; Phase measurement; Phase shifters; Radiofrequency microelectromechanical systems; Switches; Transistors; Voltage measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference, 2008. EuMIC 2008. European

Conference_Location

Amsterdam

Print_ISBN

978-2-87487-007-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/EMICC.2008.4772309

Filename

4772309