Skip to main content
Log in

Design of a wide bandwidth terahertz MEMS Ohmic switch for 6G communication applications

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

Abstract

With the new arena of smart and Internet of things (IoT) enabled devices, a terahertz frequency-based network like 6G with high speed and low latency is required. Solid-state devices show good response till 5 GHz. However, at higher frequencies, the electromagnetic responses of these devices start to degrade. On the other hand, RF MEMS technology is matured, and devices until 30 GHz have been demonstrated. The present paper shows the advancement of RF MEMS to a new terahertz MEMS switch for 6G communication applications. The terahertz switch has an actuation voltage of 20 V with a mechanical frequency of 138.9 kHz. MEMS terahertz switch’s most important factor is its high-frequency linearity. A single switch can handle all the communication bands like 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G and 6G to 150 GHz frequency. Insertion loss is less than − 0.18 dB, and isolation is more than − 20 dB from DC to 150 GHz frequency. The return loss of the switch is also better than − 23 dB for the same band.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data is available from the corresponding author [Deepak] upon reasonable request.

References

  • Al Farisi MS, Tsukamoto T, Tanaka S (2020) Tailoring material properties of electrochemically deposited Al film from chloroaluminate ionic liquid for microsystem technology using pulsed deposition. Sensors Actuators A: Phys 316:112384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angira M, Bansal D, Kumar P, Mehta K, Rangra K (2019) A novel capacitive RF-MEMS switch for multi-frequency operation. Superlattices Microstruct. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spmi.2019.106204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anuroop et al (2019a) Compact high isolation and improved bandwidth hybrid RF MEMS SPDT switch for 5G applications. Microsyst Technol 25(8):3129–3136. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-019-04343-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anuroop D, Bansal, Khushbu P, Kumar A, Kumar, Rangra K (2019b) Contact area design of ohmic RF MEMS switch for enhanced power handling. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Sensing Technology, ICST, vol. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICSensT.2018.8603623

  • Baek CW, Kim Y-K, Ahn Y, Kim YH (2005) Measurement of the mechanical properties of electroplated gold thin films using micromachined beam structures. Sens Actuators A 117:17–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bahreyni B (2008) Fabrication and design of resonant microdevices. William Andrew, Norwich, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Kumar A, Sharma A, Rangra KJ (2015a) Design of compact and wide bandwidth SPDT with anti-stiction torsional RF MEMS series capacitive switch. Microsyst Technol 21(5):1047–1052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-014-2238-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Bajpai A, Kumar P, Kaur M, Kumar A, Rangra K (2015b) Design and fabrication of a reduced stiction radio frequency MEMS switch. J MicroNanolithogr, MEMS and MOEMS 14(3):035002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Bajpai A, Mehta K, Kumar P, Kumar A (2019) Improved design of ohmic RF MEMS switch for reduced fabrication steps. IEEE Trans Electron Devices 66(10):4361–4366. https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2019.2932846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Bajpai A, Kumar P, Kaur M, Kumar A (2020) Effect of stress on pull-in voltage of RF MEMS SPDT switch. IEEE Trans Electron Devices 67(5):2147–2152. doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/ted.2020.2982667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal D, Kumar P, Kumar A (2021) Improvement of RF MEMS devices by spring constant scaling laws. J Comput Electron. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-021-01657-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deepankar Deshmukh M, Angira, (2019) Investigation on switching structure material selection for RF-MEMS shunt capacitive switches using Ashby, TOPSIS and VIKOR. Trans Electr Electron Mater 20(3):181–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaynak M et al (2009) BEOL embedded RF-MEMS switch for mm-wave applications. Tech Dig - Int Electron Devices Meet IEDM, p 797–800. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEDM.2009.5424219

  • Kurmendra Kumar R (2021) Materials selection approaches and fabrication methods in RF MEMS switches. J Electron Mater 50(6):3149–3168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee YS, Jang YH, Kim JM, Kim YK (2010) A 50–110 GHz ohmic contact RF MEMS silicon switch with high isolation. Proc IEEE Int Conf Micro Electro Mech Syst, p 759–762. https://doi.org/10.1109/MEMSYS.2010.5442295

  • Mulloni V, Colpo S, Faes A, Margesin B (2013) A simple analytical method for residual stress measurement on suspended MEM structures using surface profilometry. J Micromech Microeng 23(2):025025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rebeiz GM (2003) RF MEMS: Theory, Design, and Technology. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, USA

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma A et al (2014) Fabrication process and reliability of metallic surface micromachined structures for RF MEMS devices, Ph.D. Thesis

  • Sim SM et al (2016) A 50–100 GHz ohmic contact SPDT RF MEMS silicon switch with dual axis movement. Microelectron Eng 162:69–74. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2016.05.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ul-Haid H, Dafalla A, Quddus H, Al-Hadhrami (2011) Microstructure and surface mechanical properties of pulse electrodeposited nickel. Appl Surf Sci 257:9251–9259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WTD Commission (2019) Federal Communications Commission before the Federal Communications Commission Washington. https://mmwavecoalition.org/docket-18-21/fcc-docket-18-21-spectrum-horizons/. Accessed 17 May 2022

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank CSIR, India, and SERB-DST, India, for providing financial support.

Funding

Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute, SERB-DST India, GAP-6519, Deepak Bansal.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deepak Bansal.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

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

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bansal, D., Kaur, M., Kumar, P. et al. Design of a wide bandwidth terahertz MEMS Ohmic switch for 6G communication applications. Microsyst Technol 29, 271–277 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-023-05419-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-023-05419-8

Navigation