MEMS-based capacitor arrays for programmable interconnect and RF applications

We describe a programmable capacitor technology under development at NCSU and its potential application in building programmable interconnect devices useful for system level connectivity functions, phased array beam steering and RF switching. Crossbars are made from arrays of electrostatically controlled bistable MEMS-based capacitors. These new devices allow faster signaling and consume less power than BiCMOS (or even CMOS) crossbars. We describe the essential elements of these arrays and present results obtained so far