RF MEMS SWITCH: An overview at- a-glance

The increasing demand for low loss, high Q devices for high frequency applications has led to the development of MEMS components in the RF domain. RF MEMS has evolved over the past decade and it has emerged as a potential technology for wireless, mobile and satellite communication and defence applications. Extensive research has been carried out to identify and overcome the limitations of RF MEMS technology for replacing PIN or FET based switches for low-loss applications. The main advantage of this technology is that the devices can be manufactured by processes similar to that of VLSI and the advancement of VLSI technology has helped in the realization of many sub millimeter-sized parts to provide RF functionality. RF MEMS components include resonators, oscillators, tunable filters, switches, switched capacitors, varactors and inductors. Among these the RF MEMS switch has emerged as a frontrunner for its high level of RF performance, while maintaining ultra-low-power dissipation and large-scale integration. The paper briefly outlines the application areas of RF MEMS switches and also focuses on the research efforts that have gone into maturing the technology.