A DC-contact MEMS shunt switch

Author

Tan, Guan-Leng ; Rebeiz, Gabriel M.

Author_Institution

Radiat. Lab., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

12

Issue

6

fYear

2002

fDate

6/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

212

Lastpage

214

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and performance of a metal-to-metal contact micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) shunt switch. The switch is composed of a fixed-fixed metal beam with two pull-down electrodes and a central DC-contact area. The switch is placed in an in-line configuration in a coplanar waveguide transmission line. This topology results in a compact DC-contact shunt switch and high isolation at 0.1-18 GHz. The isolation at MM-wave frequencies is limited by the inductance to ground and is -20 dB at 18 GHz. The application areas are in wireless communications and high-isolation switching networks for satellite systems.

Keywords

coplanar waveguides; equivalent circuits; micromachining; micromechanical devices; microwave switches; modelling; 0.1 to 18 GHz; CPW transmission line; DC-Contact MEMS switches; MEMS shunt switch; RF MEMS switches; central DC-contact area; compact switch; coplanar waveguide transmission line; fixed-fixed metal beam; high-isolation switching networks; in-line configuration; metal-to-metal contact switch; micro-electro-mechanical switch; pull-down electrodes; satellite systems; switch fabrication; wireless communications; Communication switching; Contacts; Coplanar transmission lines; Coplanar waveguides; Electrodes; Fabrication; Frequency; Micromechanical devices; Network topology; Switches;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2002.1009998

Filename

1009998