Active NEM filters for communications applications based on vibrating body transistors

In this work we propose and demonstrate the first active Nano-Electro-Mechanical (NEM) filters based on scaled vibrating body field effect transistor (VB-FET) with mechanically coupled flexural-mode beam resonators working at a fundamental resonant frequency of 115 MHz. The VB-FET filters are fabricated on a 200 nm thin SOI substrate using E-Beam lithography and sacrificial layer etching. Numerical simulations prove the validity of the design and allow a fine control of the center frequency and bandwidth via applied DC voltages. The measured DC characteristics show a working FET with threshold voltage at -3V and short channel effects. Despite the low signal-to-background ratio, direct S-parameter measurements demonstrate the functionality and the tuneable gain of VB-FET based NEM-filters.