MEMS microwave device with switchable capacitive and inductive states

A microwave microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device that can be switched between capacitive and inductive states over the frequency range of 1 to 16 GHz is reported. The device has been designed based on coplanar waveguide architecture, and realised in thickly electroplated nickel with front-side bulk micromachining of the substrate using a commercial foundry process. The capacitive-to-inductive switchover has been achieved by changing the gap of the interdigitated comb fingers using a chevron microactuator. Experimental characterisation of the device has been conducted, and capacitances ~0.2 pF in the frequency range of 1-16 GHz have been measured in the ´off´ state (driving voltage of the microactuator is 0 V), whereas inductances ~0.5 nH in the frequency range of 1-16 GHz have been measured in the ´on´ state (driving voltage of the microactuator is ~1 V).