Title :
Handling RF Power: The Latest Advances in RF-MEMS Tunable Filters
Author :
Blondy, Pierre ; Peroulis, Dimitrios
Author_Institution :
XLIM, Univ. de Limoges, Limoges, France
Abstract :
RF-MEMS technology permits practical implementations of high-Q (Q from 300 to over 1,000) tunable microwave filters with power handling in the >;1-10 W range, with significant tuning range (>;50% to 100%), and ultra-low power consumption. Continuously frequency-tunable filters with mechanical actuation in the opposite direction of RF-inducted pressure can reach powers up to several watts, using a variable compensation bias. Very high Q, and large tuning range can be achieved with this technology, both in planar and cavity tunable filters. Using several devices in parallel, RF-MEMS capacitor arrays can handle RF-powers better than 1 watt, without the need for any compensation tuning.
Keywords :
capacitors; compensation; low-power electronics; microactuators; microwave filters; RF power; RF-MEMS capacitor arrays; RF-MEMS tunable filter technology; RF-inducted pressure; cavity tunable filters; frequency-tunable filters; mechanical actuation; planar tunable filters; tunable microwave filters; ultralow power consumption; variable compensation bias; Microelectromechanical systems; Microwave filters; Radio frequency; Resonator filters; Tunable circuits and devices; Varactors;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MMM.2012.2226997
