DocumentCode :
754073
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
Volume :
19
Issue :
5
fYear :
2009
fDate :
5/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
Firstpage :
299
Lastpage :
301
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;
fLanguage :
English
Journal_Title :
Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE
Publisher :
ieee
ISSN :
1531-1309
Type :
jour
DOI :
10.1109/LMWC.2009.2017595
Filename :
4840597
Link To Document :
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