Actuated voltage shift mechanisms of MEMS capacitive switch based on distributed phase shifter

The reliability of MEMS switches is closely linked to their operational and environmental conditions. This paper reports on the investigation of the actuated voltage shift mechanism in MEMS capacitive switch for millimeter-wave phase shifter design. Considering the dielectric charging and polarization effects on capacitive MEMS switch with silicon nitride as dielectric layer, an accurate model of dielectric charging and voltage shift caused by charge injection under applied voltage and signal is presented, and the influences of applied voltage, applied signal and temperature on the actuated voltage shift are performed. The result shows the proposed model provides valuable insight into the factor impacting the reliability of devices.