GaAs-compatible surface-micromachined RF MEMS switches

Hyman, Daniel; Schmitz, A.; Warneke, B.; Hsu, Tsung-Yuan; Lam, Juan; Brown, J.J.; Schaffner, James H.; Walston, A.; Loo, Ronald K.; Tangonan, Gregory L.; Mehregany, Mehran; Lee, J.

doi:10.1049/el:19990032

Cited by 81 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…With the absence of current during switching the damage to the contact surface is primarily mechanical. In cases where MEMS switches are tested with hot-switching, the lifetime becomes significantly reduced from 100s of millions of cycles to <10 million [7,[18][19][20].…”

Section: Contact Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

Accelerated testing of multi-walled CNT composite electrical contacts for MEMS switches

Lewis

McBride

et al. 2014

2014 IEEE 16th Electronics Packaging Technology Conference (EPTC)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The use of gold-coated multi-walled carbon nanotube (Au/MWCNT) bilayer composite surfaces has been discussed in previous work as a method for improving the reliability of switch contacts [1,2]. A consequence of large lifetimes means that testing to failure is time consuming. To address this we developed a MEMS-based test platform which enables testing at high frequency [3]. The MEMS devices were developed in a two stage process. In this paper the results obtained from the first stage design for a MEMS-based test platform device are discussed. Further to this, an overview of the design of the second stage device is given. Using the first-stage device, at a current of 50 mA (at 4 V), the composite yielded a lifetime in excess of 44 million hot-switching cycles [4]. At a lower load current of 10 mA, the contact maintained a stable contact for >500 million hot-switching cycles. As well as monitoring the contact resistance, SEM images of the surface before and after testing are presented. The first stage MEMS-based developmental device is a step towards a smaller integrated and packaged high-lifetime metal-contacting MEMS switch. An overview of the considerations for the redesign is given with a discussion on the predicted performance and improvement for accelerated switch testing. IntroductionThe advantages of MEMS relay switches over PIN diode and FET devices are well known; most notably lower onresistance, higher isolation and cut-off frequency [5][6][7][8]. MEMS relays have very high values of off-resistance, which is important for low power applications, especially where power consumption is of concern [9]. There are two common implementations of MEMS switches: capacitively coupled and metal-contacting. The use of capacitive switches at low frequencies is limited, however they tend to be capable of surviving high numbers (>500,000,000) of switching cycles without showing any signs of mechanical failure [10]. For the second implementation, metal-contacting switches, the electrical contacts are mechanically brought into contact; there is no dielectric layer present on the contacts which means that the transmission of DC to high frequency signals is possible. Due to the mechanical switch opening and closing process the contact surfaces suffer degradation which over consecutive opening and closing processes, causes the switch to fail [2]. In this paper we discuss hot-switching tests (4V, 10 mA and 50 mA) performed on the MEMS-based platform in which an electrostatically actuated micro-machined gold-coated silicon cantilever beam repeatedly makes contact with an Au/MWCNT composite.

show abstract

Section: Contact Resistancementioning

confidence: 99%

Accelerated testing of multi-walled CNT composite electrical contacts for MEMS switches

Lewis

McBride

et al. 2014

2014 IEEE 16th Electronics Packaging Technology Conference (EPTC)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The switch, shown in figure 1, is a microscopic version of a conventional relay cantilever switch [2] that is fabricated on top of a GaAs substrate. The RF portion of the switch has a series gap in microstrip transmission line that can be short circuited by a bar of gold deposited at the end of a cantilever beam.…”

Section: Metal Contact Rf Mems Switchesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microwave Components with MEMS Switches

Schaffner

Loo

Quan

et al. 2000

30th European Microwave Conference, 2000

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

-RF MEMS switches with metal-metal contacts are being developed for microwave applications where broadband, high linearity performance is required. These switches provide less than 0.2 dB insertion loss through 40 GHz. This paper describes the integration of these switches into selected microwave components such as reconfigurable antenna elements, tunable filters, switched delay lines, and SPDT switches. Microwave and millimeter wave measured results from these circuits are presented.

show abstract

“…The switching voltage of the switch was 35 V. Firebaugh et al (2004) presented a capacitive microwave switch with a bridge structure manufactured by the electroplating process. The switching voltage of the switch was over 30 V. Hyman et al (1999) proposed an ohmic contact microwave switch, which needed an actuation voltage of 30 V. Chang et al (2000) manufactured a microwave switch on a GaAs substrate by surface micromachining process. Zheng et al (2005) also used the surface micromachining process to fabricate an RF switch on GaAs substrate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low voltage actuated RF micromechanical switches fabricated using CMOS-MEMS technique

Dai

Chen

2006

Microsyst Technol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study investigates the fabrication of radio frequency (RF) micromechanical switches with low actuation voltage using the commercial 0.35 mu m double polysilicon four metal (DPFM) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process and the post-process. The advantages of RF micromechanical switches include low pull-down voltage and ease of post-processing. Three types of RF micromechanical switches are designed and manufactured. The RF switches are capacitive type, and the structures of the switches comprise coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines, supported springs and a suspended membrane. The post-process requires only a wet etching silicon dioxide layer. Experimental results show that type-c switch needs only a pull-down voltage of 7 V

show abstract

GaAs-compatible surface-micromachined RF MEMS switches

Cited by 81 publications

References 3 publications

Accelerated testing of multi-walled CNT composite electrical contacts for MEMS switches

Accelerated testing of multi-walled CNT composite electrical contacts for MEMS switches

Microwave Components with MEMS Switches

Low voltage actuated RF micromechanical switches fabricated using CMOS-MEMS technique

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About