Handling RF Power: The Latest Advances in RF-MEMS Tunable Filters

Author

Blondy, Pierre ; Peroulis, Dimitrios

Author_Institution

XLIM, Univ. de Limoges, Limoges, France

Volume

14

Issue

1

fYear

2013

fDate

Jan.-Feb. 2013

Firstpage

24

Lastpage

38

Abstract

RF-MEMS technology permits practical implementations of high-Q (Q from 300 to over 1,000) tunable microwave filters with power handling in the >;1-10 W range, with significant tuning range (>;50% to 100%), and ultra-low power consumption. Continuously frequency-tunable filters with mechanical actuation in the opposite direction of RF-inducted pressure can reach powers up to several watts, using a variable compensation bias. Very high Q, and large tuning range can be achieved with this technology, both in planar and cavity tunable filters. Using several devices in parallel, RF-MEMS capacitor arrays can handle RF-powers better than 1 watt, without the need for any compensation tuning.

Keywords

capacitors; compensation; low-power electronics; microactuators; microwave filters; RF power; RF-MEMS capacitor arrays; RF-MEMS tunable filter technology; RF-inducted pressure; cavity tunable filters; frequency-tunable filters; mechanical actuation; planar tunable filters; tunable microwave filters; ultralow power consumption; variable compensation bias; Microelectromechanical systems; Microwave filters; Radio frequency; Resonator filters; Tunable circuits and devices; Varactors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1527-3342

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MMM.2012.2226997

Filename

6421083