Advances in RF MEMS phase shifters from 15 GHz to 35 GHz

This work reports progress towards building low-loss phase shifters using RF MEMS switch technology for use in communication-on-the-move phased array antennas. Four phase shifters centered at 15 GHz, 21 GHz, 30 GHz and 35 GHz were designed, built, packaged and tested. The average packaged insertion losses were –1.7 dB, –1.8 dB, –2.3 dB and –2.7 dB respectively with RMS phase errors less than 7 degrees in all cases. An innovative liquid crystal polymer packaging technique was used to package these parts at the wafer level. Further reductions in loss are currently being implemented in ongoing work.