MEMS switches are devices that use mechanical movement to achieve a short circuit or an open circuit in the RF transmission line. RF MEMS switches are the specific micromechanical switches that are designed to operate at RF-to-millimeter-wave frequencies (0.1 to 100 GHz). The forces required for the mechanical movement can be obtained using electrostatic, magnetostatic, piezoelectric, or thermal designs. To date, only electrostatic-type switches have been demonstrated at 0.1-100 GHz with high reliability (100 million to 10 billion cycles) and wafer-scale manufacturing techniques. It is for this reason that this article will concentrate on electrostatic switches.

RF MEMS switches and switch circuits

An Interferometric Modulator (IMod) is a microelectromechanical device for modulating light using interference. The colors of these devices may be determined in a spatial fashion, and their inherent color shift may be compensated for using several optical compensation mechanisms. Brightness, addressing, and driving of IMods may be accomplished in a variety of ways with appropriate packaging, and peripheral electronics which can be attached and/or fabricated using one of many techniques. The devices may be used in both embedded and directly perceived applications, the latter providing multiple viewing modes as well as a multitude of product concepts ranging in size from microscopic to architectural in scope.

Interferometric modulation of radiation

We present an analytical approach and a reduced-order model (macromodel) to investigate the behavior of electrically actuated microbeam-based MEMS. The macromodel provides an effective and accurate design tool for this class of MEMS devices. The macromodel is obtained by discretizing the distributed-parameter system using a Galerkin procedure into a finite-degree-of-freedom system consisting of ordinary-differential equations in time. The macromodel accounts for moderately large deflections, dynamic loads, and the coupling between the mechanical and electrical forces. It accounts for linear and nonlinear elastic restoring forces and the nonlinear electric forces generated by the capacitors. A new technique is developed to represent the electric force in the equations of motion. The new approach allows the use of few linear-undamped mode shapes of a microbeam in its straight position as basis functions in a Galerkin procedure. The macromodel is validated by comparing its results with experimental results and finite-element solutions available in the literature. Our approach shows attractive features compared to finite-element softwares used in the literature. It is robust over the whole device operation range up to the instability limit of the device (i.e., pull-in). Moreover, it has low computational cost and allows for an easier understanding of the influence of the various design parameters. As a result, it can be of significant benefit to the development of MEMS design software.

A reduced-order model for electrically actuated microbeam-based MEMS

This paper reviews the recent progress in MEMS for radio frequency (RF) applications from a device perspective. RF MEMS devices reviewed include switches and relays, tunable capacitors, integrated inductors, mechanical resonators and filters, and some representative microwave and millimetre-wave components. Important device parameters are highlighted, as they have significant contributions to the performance of the final products in which the devices are used. The challenges and statuses of these RF MEMS devices are outlined and discussed. The intent of this topical review is to provide perspective to newcomers in the field, and empower potential end-users with an overall device picture, current status, and a vision of their ultimate performance capabilities.

/pdf/rf-mems-from-a-device-perspective-34wvbgeq8p.pdf

RF MEMS from a device perspective

An overview of recent progress in the research and development of micromachined devices for use in wireless communication subsystems is presented. Among the specific devices described are tunable micromachined capacitors, integrated high-Q inductors, micromachined low-loss microwave and millimeter-wave filters, low-loss micromechanical switches, microscale vibrating mechanical resonators with Q's in the tens of thousands, and miniature antennas for millimeter-wave applications. Specific applications are reviewed for each of these components with emphasis on methods for miniaturization and performance enhancement of existing and further wireless transceivers.

/pdf/micromachined-devices-for-wireless-communications-47hz8mr1oo.pdf

Micromachined devices for wireless communications

'This letter details the construction and performance of metal membrane radio frequency MEMS switches at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. These shunt switches possess a movable metal membrane which pulls down onto a metal/dielectric sandwich to form a capacitive switch. These switches exhibit low loss (<0.25 dB at 35 GHz) with good isolation (35 dB at 35 GHz). These devices possess on-off capacitance ratios in the range of 80-110 with a cutoff frequency (figure of merit) in excess of 9000 GHz, significantly better than that achievable with electronic switching devices.

/pdf/performance-of-low-loss-rf-mems-capacitive-switches-lfhhm2nibk.pdf

Performance of low-loss RF MEMS capacitive switches

The design and fabrication of a micromechanical capacitive membrane microwave switching device is described. The switching element consists of a thin metallic membrane, which has two states, actuated or unactuated, depending on the applied bias. A microwave signal is switched on and off when the membrane is switched between the two states. These switches have a switching on speed of less than 6 /spl mu/s and a switching off speed of less than 4 /spl mu/s. The switching voltage is about 50 V. The switches have a bowtie shape and showed low insertion loss of 0.14 dB at 20 GHz and 0.25 dB at 35 GHz, and isolation of 24 dB at 20 GHz and 35 dB at 35 GHz. These devices offer the potential for building a new generation of low-loss high-linearity microwave circuits for a variety of phased antenna arrays for radar and communications applications.

/pdf/micromachined-low-loss-microwave-switches-4yxzfwdw1m.pdf

Micromachined low-loss microwave switches

The first experimental characterization of dielectric charging within capacitive RF MEMS switches has been demonstrated. Standard devices have been inserted into a time domain setup and their lifetimes have been characterized as a function of actuation voltage. Switch lifetimes were measured using a dual-pulse waveform with 30 to 65 V of actuation voltage. Resulting lifetimes were between 10/sup 4/ and 10/sup 8/ switch actuations, demonstrating an exponential relationship between lifetime and actuation voltage.

Lifetime characterization of capacitive RF MEMS switches

In this work, development of a low-loss radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical (MEMS) 4-bit X-band monolithic phase shifter is presented. These microstrip circuits are fabricated on 0.021-in-thick high-resistivity silicon and are based on a reflection topology using 3-dB Lange couplers. The average insertion loss of the circuit is 1.4 dB with the return loss >11 dB at 8 GHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is a lowest reported loss for X-band phase shifter and promises to greatly reduce the cost of designing and building phase arrays.

X-band RF MEMS phase shifters for phased array applications

This paper overviews the application of RF MEMS switches in tunable filters as well as circuit developments for bandpass filters covering 110 MHz to 2.8 GHz. RF MEMS have several desirable features, including small size, low power requirements, and low loss. The basic operation of Raytheon's RF MEMS capacitive membrane switch is described. An overview of the technique used to integrate the switch into a variable capacitor structure with sixteen capacitance states is provided. Variable capacitor structures are used to construct multipole lumped bandpass filter designs, each with sixteen states. Finally, measured data from two representative five- and six-pole bandpass filters are presented. Characterization data demonstrates that the insertion loss for the five-pole filter using on-chip inductors was between 6.6 and 7.3 dB, and between 3.7 and 4.2 dB for the six-pole filter using off-chip inductors. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE11: 276-284, 2001.

Charles L. Goldsmith

Papers

Performance of low-loss RF MEMS capacitive switches

Micromachined low-loss microwave switches

Lifetime characterization of capacitive RF MEMS switches

X-band RF MEMS phase shifters for phased array applications

RF MEMS‐based tunable filters