MEMS Switch

Abstract

Micro-Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) is an agglomeration of submicron mechanical moving parts and electronic components on a single module. MEMS devices operated at Radio Frequency (RF) are emerging as a propitious technology and RF-MEMS-based switches are playing crucial role in growth of modern communication systems (Rebeiz in RF-MEMS theory, design, and technology. Wiley, 2003). RF-MEMS-based switches are widely employed in three major areas of RF and microwave communication system, i.e., terminal, base, and satellite (Goldsmith et al. in IEEE MTT-S international microwave symposium, pp 91–94, 1995). Major applications of RF-MEMS switches include antenna switching networks, phase shifters, phased-array antenna, reconfigurable devices, etc. These switches also act as building blocks of switch matrixes which find application in satellite communication (Jamie et al in IEEE J Microelectromehanical Syst 8(2):129–134, 1999). RF-MEMS switches offer unsurpassed RF performance and are eventually replacing traditional solid-state devices like FET, MESFET, PIN diode, etc for switching purpose (Iannacci in Practical guide to RF-MEMS. Wiley, 2013) in RFICs/MMICs/HMICs due to the fact that they provide low insertion loss and high isolation while owing to negligible power consumption and maintaining linearity and moreover they substantially contribute for reduction in size, weight, and cost of the system (Lucyszyn in Advanced RF-MEMS. Cambridge University Press, 2010). Several reports and research papers have been published on this technology from 70s. Compared with other established technologies most of the research works in this field are still in the lab. Only in year 2008, U.S. and Japan made some RF-MEMS-based switch out of the lab for commercial applications. Reliability and packaging being one of the major challenges in this scenario designer used to give their best efforts for the final shape up of the device.