Abstract
This paper presents the design, fabrication and packaging of RF MEMS switches that have CPW-converted-to-microstrip RF interface at the die level. With microstrip input and output ports the packaging of the dies become greatly simplified, doing away with the need for having off-chip matching and RF transition components inside the package. Two designs are presented, each based on a different philosophy for conversion of the inherent CPW version of the chip to microstrip planar transmission line; i) conversion to microstrip through RF matching, ii) CPW to microstrip on-chip via less transition. Detailed 3D EM simulation based studies were carried out to arrive at the final RF layouts. The switches were fabricated using the silicon on glass architecture and packaged in hermetic RF packages at 1 atm N\(_2\). Wafer level and post packaging test methods are described. Over the range DC to 10 GHz, the worst case packaged device insertion loss, return loss and isolation are −1.2 dB, −13 dB, −37.5 dB for the first design variant of the switch and are −1.2 dB, −11 dB and −30 dB respectively for the second design variant. The typical pull in voltage is 50 V.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge guidance and support from Dr. G. Sai Sravanan and Mr. S. Raghava of GAETEC for their help in wafer level electroplating which is a critical process in the realisation of RF MEMS switches. The authors would also like to thank the staff of ATQC, GAETEC for their high quality workmanship and technical expertise in the assembly and packaging of the RF MEMS switches described in this work. Ms. J D Pushpavalli, LEOS, is thanked for her support with the scanning electron microscope imaging of RF MEMS switches. Swathi S is thanked for her support in making the measurements on commercial RF MEMS switches. The authors are thankful to Dr. A V G Subramanyam, Dr. Vamsi Krishna Velidi and Mr. Deepankar Roy of U R Rao Satellite Center for enrichicing discussions on RF matters. Sincere thanks are due to Mr. Thippaiyya and Mr. Narasimhamurthy for their valuable technical support in device fabrication operations. The authors thank director LEOS, ISRO and director SAC, ISRO for their constant guidance and support.
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Singh, S., Giridhar, M.S., Jambhalikar, A. et al. Design and development of broadband DC-10 GHz packaged RF MEMS switches with on chip CPW-microstrip transitions. Sādhanā 47, 65 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-022-01813-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-022-01813-6