High power handling capability of movable-waveguide direct contact MEMS switches

The authors presented the characteristics of high power handling capability with direct contact MEMS switches. The switch has a movable-waveguide, fabricated on a silicon cavity. Two types of MEMS switches with different number of contact points were fabricated. In high power handling experiments with hot switching mode, a multiple-contact type switch failed at 1.6 W in 7 GHz RF signal, while a single-contact type switch was succeeded up to 2.4 W. These results were considered from the viewpoint of contact force and surface asperities according to the relation between input power and insertion loss.