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RF MEMS switches, switching networks and phase shifters for microwave to millimeter wave applications

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Abstract

This work presents design, fabrication and measurements of RF MEMS metal-contact switches, switching network and phase shifters. The complete work is broadly divided into three parts. The first part concentrates on the metal-contact switch functionalities in terms of mechanical behaviour, electrical behaviour, transient analysis, linearity, power handling, temperature, S-parameter and reliability. All these switch performances are critically evaluated for developing high-performance and reliable MEMS switch. Different single-pole-multi-throw (SPnT) switching networks are also designed and tested where n varies from two to sixteen. Next part concentrates on the design and development of narrow-band (500 MHz) MEMS digital phase shifters (2- to 5-bit) driven by an electrostatic actuation. Next and last phase of this work deals with a reconfigurable MEMS digital phase shifter using a push–pull-type beam topology. The utility of this beam design is validated and tested on a simple DMTL configuration where 11 push–pull bridges are used in a periodic placement. Finally, a modified version of the push–pull actuator is used to design a frequency reconfigurable 5-bit phase shifter over a wide band of spectrum of 10–25 GHz. The concept of the frequency reconfiguration is clearly mentioned and validated with exhaustive measurement process. In addition, a low-cost module is developed using gold-coated brass material to observe optimum device performance for end-user applications and two phase shifters are tested over large cycles including power handling, temperature stability and qualification testing such as 3-axis vibration.

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Acknowledgments

The first two authors would like to express their profound gratitude to Prof. K. N. Bhat, Prof Navakant Bhat and research staff in the Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for their help in characterizing the devices at their facility. Thanks are also due to Late. Mr. Vedula Kirty, senior general manager of Astra Microwave Product Limited (AMPL), Hyderabad, for helping us during the process of fabrication, mounting of the devices in the test jigs and device reliability characterization. Finally the authors would like to thank National Program on Micro and Smart Systems (NPMASS), Govt. of India for setting up MEMS design lab and RF characterization facilities at CARE, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India, and their generous support that led to the development of the reported phase shifters. We are also thankful to Prof. Ulrich L. Rohde and Dr. Ajay K. Poddar from Synergy Microwave Corp., NJ, USA, for financially supporting a collaborative research project on development of RF MEMS components.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, Kerala, 678557, India

    Sukomal Dey

  2. Centre for Applied Research in Electronics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

    Shiban K. Koul

  3. Synergy Microwave Corporation, Paterson, NJ, USA

    Ajay K. Poddar & Ulrich Rohde

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  1. Sukomal Dey
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  2. Shiban K. Koul
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  4. Ulrich Rohde
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Correspondence to Sukomal Dey.

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Dey, S., Koul, S.K., Poddar, A.K. et al. RF MEMS switches, switching networks and phase shifters for microwave to millimeter wave applications. ISSS J Micro Smart Syst 9, 33–47 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41683-020-00051-4

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