Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Broadband radio frequency MEMS series contact switch with low insertion loss

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Microsystem Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new radio frequency (RF) micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) single cantilever series contact switch is designed as a low-insertion-loss and low-power electronic component that is intended to provide integrated control of the opening and closing signals of other MEMS devices operating over a wide frequency range (DC–60 GHz). The MEMS switching element consists of an A-type top electrode that is fixed onto coplanar waveguide lines through anchor points to reduce the insertion loss in the on-state of the device. The air gap between the top electrode and the actuation electrode of the designed MEMS switch is optimized to improve the isolation characteristics of the switch. In addition, the switching voltage required is approximately 24 V. The simulation results presented here show that the insertion loss of the switch in the on-state is less than 0.71 dB, while the minimum isolation is 20.69 dB in the off-state at 60 GHz. The proposed RF MEMS switch will be useful for communication devices and test instruments used in broadband applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angelis GD, Lucibello A, Marcelli R et al (2008) Packaged single pole double thru (SPDT) and true time delay lines (TTDL) based on RF MEMS switches. IEEE 1(1):227–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Angira M, Rangra K (2015) Design and investigation of a low insertion loss, broadband, enhanced self and hold down power RF-MEMS switch. J Microsyst Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-014-2188-6

    Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Kumar A, Sharma A, Kumar P, Rangra KJ (2013) Design of novel compact anti-stiction and low insertion loss RF-MEMS switch. J Microsyst Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-013-1812-1s

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhatasana P, Pujara D, Bera SC (2016) Movable parallel plate RF MEMS switch with wide frequency response. In: Applied electromagnetics conference. IEEE, pp 1–2

  • Brown ER (1998) RF-MEMS switches for reconfigurable integrated circuits. IEEE Trans Micro Theory Tech 46:1868–1880

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiao JC, Fu Y, Choudhury D et al (1999) MEMS millimeterwave reconfigurable components. In: Proceedings of the IEEE MTT-S international microwave symposium, Anaheim, CA, pp 463–466

  • Demirel K, Yazgan E, Demir Şimşek et al (2016) A new temperature-tolerant RF MEMS switch structure design and fabrication for Ka-band applications. J Microelectromech Syst 25(1):60–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iannacci J, Giacomozzi F, Colpo S et al (2009) A general purpose reconfigurable MEMS-based attenuator for radio frequency and microwave applications. In: EUROCON 2009, EUROCON ’09. IEEE, pp 1197–1205

  • Jaiswal A, Dey S, Abegaonkar MP et al (2017) High isolation RF MEMS SPDT switch for 60 GHz ISM band antenna routing applications. In: Microwave Conference, pp 1–4

  • Molaei S, Ganji BA (2017) Design and simulation of a novel RF MEMS shunt capacitive switch with low actuation voltage and high isolation. Microsyst Technol 23(6):1907–1912

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muniraj NJR, Sathesh K (2011) Design of MEMS switch for RF applications. Microsyst Technol 17(1):161–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park JH, Lee S, Kim JM et al (2003) A 35–60 GHz single-pole double-throw(SPDT) switching circuit using direct contact MEMS switches and double resonance technique. In: Transducers, solid-state sensors, actuators and microsystems, international conference on. IEEE, vol 2, pp 1796–1799

  • Paul GR, Usha KK (2016) Low actuation voltage: RF MEMS series switch. In: International conference on wireless communications, signal processing and NETWORKING. IEEE

  • Sharma AK, Gupta N (2015) Electromagnetic modeling and parameter extraction of RF-MEMS switch. Microsyst Technol 21:181–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen H, Gong S, Barker NS (2009) DC-contact RF MEMS switches using thin-film cantilevers. In: Microwave integrated circuit conference, 2008. EuMIC 2008. European. IEEE, pp 382–385

  • Singh Tejinder, Kaur Navjot (2016) Layered axial force coupled membrane based metal contact single-pole quad-throw RF MEMS switch: design, RF performance and mechanical modeling. Microsyst Technol 22:2117–2123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Y, Tian Y, Zhang B et al (2018) A novel RF MEMS switch on frequency reconfigurable antenna application. Microsyst Technol 24(9):3833–3841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Younis S, Saleem MM, Zubair M et al (2018) Multiphysics design optimization of RF-MEMS switch using response surface methodology. Microelectron J 71:47–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Information System Pre-research Project (No. 31513060101). We thank the Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science and Dynamic Measurement for their support.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Mengwei Li and Qiuhui Liu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science and Dynamic Measurement, Ministry of Education, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Mengwei Li, Qiuhui Liu & Qiannan Wu

  2. School of Information and Communication Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Qiuhui Liu & Yueping Han

  3. School of Science, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Qiannan Wu

Authors
  1. Mengwei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qiuhui Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Qiannan Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yueping Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mengwei Li.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, M., Liu, Q., Wu, Q. et al. Broadband radio frequency MEMS series contact switch with low insertion loss. Microsyst Technol 25, 1619–1625 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-018-4201-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-018-4201-y

Search

Navigation