Passive integration and RF MEMS: a toolkit for adaptive LC circuits

Author

Rijks, Th.G.S.M. ; van Beek, J.T.M. ; Ulenaers, M.J.E. ; De Coster, J. ; Puers, R. ; den Dekker, A. ; van Teeffelen, L.

Author_Institution

Philips Res., Eindhoven, Netherlands

fYear

2003

fDate

16-18 Sept. 2003

Firstpage

269

Lastpage

272

Abstract

RF MEMS variable capacitors have been realized in an industrialized thin-film process for manufacturing high-quality inductors and capacitors on high-ohmic silicon. The fixed as well as the moveable electrode consists of aluminium, the native aluminium oxide is used as a dielectric. A tuning ratio of 1.35 and a switching ratio up to 29 have been measured. At RF frequencies they show low ohmic losses, which make them very suitable for use in high-quality adaptive LC networks. The feasibility of the application of switched capacitors for load switching in GSM power amplifiers has been demonstrated through simulations based on experimentally derived components and systems parameters.

Keywords

adaptive systems; aluminium compounds; cellular radio; electrodes; micromechanical devices; passive networks; power amplifiers; radiofrequency integrated circuits; thin film capacitors; thin film inductors; AlO; GSM power amplifiers; RF MEMS variable capacitors; adaptive LC circuits; fixed electrode; high-ohmic silicon; high-quality capacitors; high-quality inductors; industrialized thin-film process; load switching; low ohmic losses; moveable electrode; passive integration; switched capacitors; Capacitors; Dielectric thin films; Electrodes; Manufacturing industries; Manufacturing processes; Radiofrequency microelectromechanical systems; Semiconductor thin films; Silicon; Thin film circuits; Thin film inductors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Solid-State Circuits Conference, 2003. ESSCIRC '03. Proceedings of the 29th European

Conference_Location

Estoril, Portugal

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7995-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ESSCIRC.2003.1257124

Filename

1257124