Title :
Impact of Humidity on Dielectric Charging in RF MEMS Capacitive Switches
Author :
Peng, Zhen ; Palego, Cristiano ; Hwang, James C M ; Forehand, David I. ; Goldsmith, Charles L. ; Moody, Cody ; Malczewski, Andrew ; Pillans, Brandon W. ; Daigler, Richard ; Papapolymerou, John
Author_Institution :
Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA
fDate :
5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A novel technique is used to distinguish the charging of the surface from that of the bulk of the dielectrics of different types of RF MEMS capacitive switches under different electric fields and humidity levels. In general, bulk charging dominates in dry air, while surface charging increases linearly with increasing humidity. Under comparable electric fields and humidity levels, switches made of silicon dioxide are less susceptible to surface charging than switches made of silicon nitride. These quantitative results not only underscore the importance of packaging the switches in a dry ambient atmosphere, but also validate the novel technique for evaluating the effectiveness of dielectric preparation and packaging.
Keywords :
humidity; microswitches; microwave switches; packaging; silicon compounds; surface charging; RF MEMS capacitive switches; SiO2; dielectric charging; electric fields; humidity; packaging; silicon dioxide; surface charging; Charge injection; dielectric films; dielectric materials; humidity; microelectromechanical devices; microwave devices; switches;
Journal_Title :
Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LMWC.2009.2017595