Low-cost low actuation voltage copper RF MEMS switches

This paper presents the design, fabrication and testing of capacitive copper RF MEMS switches with various hinge geometries, fabricated on high-resistivity silicon substrates. The switches were fabricated using a simple low-cost four-mask process and 0.6-1.0 /spl mu/m thick membranes were made out of sputtered copper. The capacitive airgap in between the membrane and the signal line is 1.5-2.0 /spl mu/m. The lowest actuation voltage measured on the fabricated switches is 9 V. The measured insertion loss of a fabricated switch and its associated transmission time was 0.9 dB (mainly contributed by the transmission line itself) and the isolation was measured to be 25 dB at 40 GHz.