RF-MEMS for 5G mobile communications: A basic attenuator module demonstrated up to 50 GHz

Abstract

After fluctuating expectations and disillusionments, RF-MEMS technology is starting to make its way into market applications. To this regard, the upcoming field of 5G seems to be the fitting application area for such a technology to fully express its potential. In this work, we present an RF-MEMS basic 2-state attenuator module, simulated and measured up to 50 GHz. A series resistive load, inserted on the RF line, can be shorted by electrostatically actuating a suspended Gold thin membrane. When the load is inserted, a rather flat attenuation level (S21) is observed over the whole range, it spanning from -9 dB to -6 dB as the frequency increases. On the other hand, when shorted, the module exhibits a loss (S21) better than -1.4 dB up to 50 GHz. The discussed basic module can then be exploited as building block to implement more complex RF signal conditioning functions

A perspective vision of micro/nano systems and technologies as enablers of 6g, super-iot, and tactile internet [point of view]

“…RF components exhibit good performances and large tunability/reconfigurability [66]. In light of previously mentioned 6G emerging requirements, the possibilities of scaling up the design complexity and of working at frequencies as high as the sub-THz make RF-MEMS a KET for such purposes [67].…”

Extensive Review of Advancements in Telecommunications/Iot With Mems and Rf Passives

“…Of course, there will be significant issues with frequency operating that need to be resolved. In this manner, millimetre-wave frequency operation is intended for the backhaul section of the infrastructure that is closer to end users (60)(61)(62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70). This is the situation with the so-called 5G tiny cells, which will provide solitary users in constrained spaces with very-wide data rate access (up to the Gbps range).…”

A Reconfigurable Pseudohairpin Filter Based on MEMS Switches

“…The already-discussed RF-MEMS switches were activated with voltages of about V d = 60 V, so to keep the compatibility with CMOS standard driving circuits and most commercial devices (characterized by a 3.3 V power supply), a step-up DC-DC circuit aimed at increasing the voltage from 3.3 V up to 60 V was mandatory. The previously described RF-MEMS switches employed in this work were designed and produced at the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) laboratories, and they were successfully used in different practical applications [31][32][33][35][36][37].…”

“…In recent years, many practical engineering applications have used RF-MEMS and obtained outstanding performance [25,26]. In [27][28][29], preliminary attempts to fabricate reconfigurable hairpin filters are reported, while in [30][31][32][33][34][35], different reconfigurable microwave devices are reported. In Table 1, we have compared the hairpin filter technology with our proposed hairpin filter.…”