In-Plane Electrostatically-Actuated RF MEMS Switch Suspended on a Low-Resistivity Substrate

Author

Girbau, David ; Pradell, Lluis ; Lazaro, Antonio ; Nebot, Alvar

Author_Institution

Dept. of Signal Theor. & Commun., Univ. Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona

fYear

2006

fDate

10-15 Sept. 2006

Firstpage

1731

Lastpage

1734

Abstract

In this work, a lateral, resistive-contact electrostatically-actuated RF MEMS switch for ground wireless communication applications is presented. It has been manufactured on a low-resistivity substrate, and its RF performance has been improved by suspending the structures 25 mum apart from the substrate. Measured insertion loss, return loss and isolation are -0.13, -38 and -60 dB at 0.9 GHz, and -0.4, -28.7 and -31 dB at 6 GHz, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential feasibility of integrating RF MEMS lateral switches with active circuitry manufactured on low-resistivity substrate under a system-on-chip concept, while keeping their performance

Keywords

electrostatic actuators; microswitches; microwave switches; radio equipment; system-on-chip; 0.13 dB; 0.4 dB; 0.9 GHz; 28.7 dB; 38 dB; 6 GHz; RF MEMS switch; ground wireless communication; in-plane actuation; interdigital actuation; low-resistivity substrate; system-on-chip concept; Communication switching; Electrostatic measurements; Insertion loss; Integrated circuit measurements; Loss measurement; Manufacturing; Radio frequency; Radiofrequency microelectromechanical systems; Switches; Wireless communication; Interdigital actuation; MEMS; in-plane actuation; leverage bending; low-resistivity substrate;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Conference, 2006. 36th European

Conference_Location

Manchester

Print_ISBN

2-9600551-6-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/EUMC.2006.281476

Filename

4058185