Design and Investigation of RF MEMS Switch (original) (raw)

Design and Fabrication of RF MEMS Switch by the CMOS Process

2005

This work investigates the fabrication of a RF (ratio frequency) MEMS (micro elector mechanical system) switch using the standard 0.35 mm 2P4M (double polysilicon four metal) CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and the post-process. The switch is a capacitive type, which is actuated by an electrostatic force. The structure of the switch consists of a CPW (coplanar waveguides) transmission lines and a suspended membrane. The CPW lines and the membrane are the metal layers of the CMOS process. The main advantage of the RF switch is only needed a simple post-process, which is compatible with the CMOS process. The post-process uses an etchant, silox vapox III, to etch oxide layer to release the suspended membrane and springs. Experiment results show that the pull-in voltage of the switch is about 17 V. The insertion loss and return loss in the range of 10 to 40 GHz are-2.5 dB and-13 dB, respectively.

A Review Paper on RF MEMS Switch for Wireless Communication

This paper deals with the RF (Radio Frequency)-MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System) switch importance in the wireless communication system. Also explains the dominance of RF-Switch over existing devices like PIN Diodes and Field-Effect-Transistors with size, power, isolation, insertion loss, and graphically how Pull-in voltage affects on the tip deflection of the switch.

DESIGN OF NON-UNIFORM SHAPED RF MEMS SWITCH

TJPRC, 2013

In this paper, we present aNovel Non-uniform shapedcantilever based DC contact RF MEMS switch. This switch can be employedfor various microwave applications in frequency range of DC-10GHz as it shows excellent RF characteristics. The design is optimized in the terms of electrostatic actuation mechanism, which included switch beam thickness, beam gap and materials. Also the due to its optimized shape and size of contact geometry and material ensures the high reliability, high isolation and very low insertion loss. The main features of our switch aresimplicity of structure, reliability of contact, excellent RF characteristics, low actuation voltage and excellent figure of merit. The pull-in voltage, contact force and S-parameters are analyzed with software such as Coventorware. Various Switching parameters areanalyzed for the performance of the switch in terms of switching speed and power consumption. The paper briefly outlines the Design of RF MEMS switches and also focuses on the research efforts that have gone into maturing the technology.

IJERT-Design of MEMS Switch for RF Applications

International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology (IJERT), 2013

https://www.ijert.org/design-of-mems-switch-for-rf-applications https://www.ijert.org/research/design-of-mems-switch-for-rf-applications-IJERTV2IS110906.pdf Components like passive electronically scanned (sub) arrays, T/R modules, reconfigurable antennas etc., in RF applications are in need of MEMS switches for its re-configurability and polarization. This paper presents the analysis, design and simulation of a MEMS switch. The switch proposed in this paper is intended to work in the frequency range of 4-8 GHz. The proposed switch fulfils the switching characteristics concerning the five requirements loss, linearity, high switching speed, small size/ power consumption, low pull down voltage following a relatively simple design, which ensures reliability, robustness and high fabrication yield. The switch implemented in this paper is based on the integration mode of operation and widely used in RF applications.

Novel design and analysis of RF MEMS shunt capacitive switch for radar and satellite communications

2019

In this paper, a new type of Radio Frequency Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (RF-MEMS) shunt capacitive switch is designed and studied. RF MEMS switch has a number of advantages in a modern telecommunication system such as low power consumption, easy to fabricate and power handling capacity at radio frequency. At high frequency applications, this switch shows very superior performance due to which it now became one of the key elements for RF application. In this proposed design, an innovative type of MEMS switch is designed. The MEMS switch structure consists of substrate, co-planar waveguide (CPW), dielectric material and a metallic bridge. The proposed MEMS switch has a dimension of 508 µm × 620 µm with a height of 500 µm. The substrate used is GaAs material. The relative permittivity of the substrate is 12.9. This proposed MEMS switch is designed and simulated in both UP (ON) state and DOWN (OFF) state. The proposed RF-MEMS switch is designed and simulated using Ansoft High frequency structure simulator (HFSS) electromagnetic simulator. The simulated result shows better performance parameters such as return loss (<-10 dB) and insertion loss (>-0.5 dB) in UP state, whereas return loss (>-0.5 dB) and isolation (<-10 dB) in DOWN state. This switch has good isolation characteristics of-43 dB at 27 GHz frequency. 1. INTRODUCTION The term RF-MEMS means Radio Frequency Micro-Electro Mechanical System. Therefore it is combination of two different systems that is mechanical and electrical systems. The MEMS switch exhibit both mechanical and electrical characteristics during the function. The mechanical property helps to up and down movement of RF MEMS switch for the transmission of radio frequency signal through the CPW conductor [1, 2]. This MEMS switch are extensively used for radio frequency applications [3]. Initially MEMS are used for several devices such as tempreture sensor, pressure sensor, gas chromatographs etc and at the same time MEMS switch are also used at low frequency applications [4-6]. The MEMS switches integrates the benefits of mechanical and semiconductor properties in small size. This property of MEMS switch can be used for radio frequency, hence called RF-MEMS switch. Like MEMS switch, there have alos been several standard switches such as PIN diode and FET for the switching function at RF frequency. The RF-MEMS switch provides better performances such as low power consumption, high isolation, less noise, low insertion loss, high bandwidth than the conventional solid state PINdiode and FET switches [7-8]. However, for the designing and operation of RF-MEMS switch, it has also some disadvantages such as switching speed, low power handling capacity [9-11], electrostatic discharge [12-13], high actuation voltage, packaging and low switching lifetime [14]. In order to overcome

Design and simulation of Various Fixed -Fixed RF MEMS Switch

Thepaper represents the various design Fixed- fixed RF MEMS switch .The comparative analysis of RF MEMS switch of z-component displacement, pull in voltage and capacitance. The switch used high dielectric constant material hafnium oxide .TheCOMSOL®MULTIPHYSICS 4.3b software is used to design and simulated the switch. The switch is design to decreases the power consumption and linearity .In this paper the proposed switch is reduced the actuation voltage. The low voltage switches are essential due to their compatibility of benchmark IC technology in RF application and microelectronics systems. In realizing MEMS switches with low actuation voltage, spring constant of beam must be reduced.

Optimum Electromagnetic Modelling of RF MEMS Switches

Elektronika ir Elektrotechnika

Radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) switch technology may have the potential to replace semiconductor technology in future communication systems as well as communication satellites, wireless and mobile phones. RF MEMS switches are being developed for low insertion loss, high isolation loss and high linearity that are required over a broad frequency band application. In wireless mobile communication systems, microstrip transmission lines (t-line) have received attention for their attractive benefits such as low profile, light weight, and easy fabrication. The present work has thus been to explore the design and modelling of low loss RF MEMS switches implemented in a microstrip discontinuity t-line configuration. The electromagnetic modelling of an RF MEMS switch with a microstrip line is presented with a simple analytical model to determine the scattering parameters. This study shows that an RF MEMS switch with a microstrip t-line provided less than 0.01 dB-0.05 dB insertion loss for 50 GHz frequency. Moreover, there is an isolation loss of 50 dB over frequencies up to 50 GHz frequency. This low insertion and high isolation loss in the single beam RF MEMS switch with a microstrip discontinuity t-line contributes to configuring a low loss transmission line for RF communication.

Design and Analysis of a Non-Uniform Meander RF MEMS Switch

2021

This paper aimed to design and analysis of non-uniform meander capacitive shunt RF MEMS switch. The less pull in voltage is obtained in flexure type membrane by proposed RF MEMS Switch. The selection of materials for the beam and dielectric layer is expressed in this paper and also shown the performance depends on materials utilized for the design. The high isolation of -31.15dB actuating at the pull-in voltage of 7.69V with a spring constant of 3.28N/m produced the switch and is obtained by the optimization process. Capacitive contact switches have capability of power handling. The actuated switch state provides an excellent isolation. It shorts the ground by RF signal. MEMS technology is the integration of electrical and mechanical components on single platform i.e. substrate [10]. From the literature, various researchers have proposed different RF MEMS Switch, but still there few challenges on optimization of the Switch for best performance. The electromechanical analysis such as...

Development of high power RF MEMS switches

ICMMT 4th International Conference on, Proceedings Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technology, 2004.

This paper reports on recent developments of high power RF MEMS switch. An approach using a matrix of switching elements for the development is introduced. The design and modelling of a 2 x 2 RF MEMS switch matrix of this type is described. The fabncation processes are presented.