A High Power Stress-Gradient Resilient RF MEMS Capacitive Switch

作者：Yang Hyun Ho^*; Zareie Hosein; Rebeiz Gabriel M

来源：Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 2015, 24(3): 599-607.

DOI：10.1109/JMEMS.2014.2335173

• Radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS)
• switches
• high power
• tunable circuits

A high power-handling radio frequency (RF) micro-electromechanical systems capacitive switch with low sensitivity to both in-plane stress and stress gradients is presented. The novel switch consists of four cantilever beams, which are tied together using an optimized center joint to minimize the effects of biaxial stress and stress gradients. Dimples with a thickness of 0.3 mu m are used to result in an air dielectric in the down-state position, which greatly improves the reliability, while still maintaining a measured capacitance ratio of 5. The switch is capable of handling an RF power > 12 W under hot switching conditions, as well as having low sensitivity to temperature variations (similar to 20 mV/degrees C for V-p). Application areas are in high power reconfigurable filters, matching networks, and tunable antennas for modern communication systems.

• 出版日期2015-6