An X-band to Ku-band RF MEMS switched coplanar strip filter

Author

Nordquist, Christopher D. ; Muyshondt, Arnoldo ; Pack, Michael V. ; Finnegan, Patrick S. ; Dyck, Christopher W. ; Reines, Isak C. ; Kraus, Garth M. ; Plut, Thomas A. ; Sloan, George R. ; Goldsmith, Charles L. ; Sullivan, Charles T.

Author_Institution

Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

14

Issue

9

fYear

2004

Firstpage

425

Lastpage

427

Abstract

Radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) are key enabling technologies for miniature reconfigurable circuits such as microwave filters. We present a two-pole monolithic RF MEMS switched filter, fabricated on GaAs, that employs surface-micromachined capacitors to present a variable capacitance to a coupled coplanar strip filter, thereby switching the filter center frequency 37% between 10.7 GHz and 15.5 GHz with voltages of 20 and 0 V, respectively. This 15% bandwidth filter occupies a chip area of 2.2 ×1.5 mm and demonstrates less than 2-dB of loss, making it promising for numerous applications within these critical frequency bands.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; capacitors; coplanar waveguides; gallium arsenide; micromechanical devices; microwave filters; switched filters; 0 V; 1.5 mm; 10.7 to 15.5 GHz; 2.2 mm; 20 V; 3.3 mm; GaAs; Ku-band strip filter; RF MEMS strip filter; X-band strip filter; adaptive filters; bandwidth filter; coplanar strip filter; critical frequency bands; filter center frequency; microelectromechanical devices; microwave filters; miniature reconfigurable circuits; radio frequency microelectromechanical systems; surface-micromachined capacitors; switched strip filter; tunable filters; variable capacitance; Capacitance; Capacitors; Coupling circuits; Frequency; Gallium arsenide; Microwave circuits; Microwave filters; Microwave technology; Radiofrequency microelectromechanical systems; Strips; Adaptive filters; microelectromechanical devices; switched filters; tunable filters;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2004.832071

Filename

1324736