Pulse induced charging tests in capacitive RF-MEMS switches

The detection of the overall surrounding charges, i.e. injected and induced charges, in thin insulating films used in capacitive RF-MEMS switches is reported. A method combining a Pulse Induced Charging (PIC) stimulus and a very sensitive capacitance measurement has been used. The motion of charges generates an accumulation of the surface potential and this can be detected by non-contact capacitance measurements. The ultimate purpose of this study is to propose a pulse induced accelerated stress test to assess capacitive structure charging susceptibility, which is related to its operation time.