MEMS microswitches for reconfigurable microwave circuitry

Author

Duffy, Sean ; Bozler, Carl ; Rabe, Steven ; Knecht, Jeffrey ; Travis, Lauren ; Wyatt, Peter ; Keast, Craig ; Gouker, Mark

Author_Institution

Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA

Volume

11

Issue

3

fYear

2001

fDate

3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

106

Lastpage

108

Abstract

The performance is reported for a new microelectromechanical structure (MEMS) cantilever microswitch. We report on both dc- and capacitively-contacted microswitches. The dc-contacted microswitches have contact resistance of less than 1 /spl Omega/, and the RF loss of the switch up to 40 GHz in the closed position is 0.1-0.2 dB. Capacitively-contacted switches have an impedance ratio of 141:1 from the open to closed state and in the closed position have a series capacitance of 1.2 pF. The capacitively-contacted switches have been measured up to 40 GHz with S/sub 22/ less than -0.7 dB across the 5-40 GHz band.

Keywords

contact resistance; micromechanical devices; microwave switches; 0.1 to 0.2 dB; 1 ohm; 1.2 pF; 5 to 40 GHz; DC contacted switch; MEMS cantilever microswitch; RF loss; capacitively contacted switch; contact resistance; impedance ratio; microelectromechanical system; reconfigurable microwave circuit; series capacitance; Capacitance; Contact resistance; Electrodes; Impedance; Micromechanical devices; Microswitches; Microwave circuits; Radio frequency; Silicon compounds; Switches;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/7260.915617

Filename

915617