Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T20:54:05.287Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Design and characterization of an active recovering mechanism for high-performance RF MEMS redundancy switches

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2011

Francesco Solazzi ,
Augusto Tazzoli ,
Paola Farinelli ,
Alessandro Faes ,
Viviana Mulloni ,
Benno Margesin  and
Gaudenzio Meneghesso
Francesco Solazzi*
Affiliation:
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 314 456
Augusto Tazzoli
Affiliation:
Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova and IUNET, Via Gradenigo 6/b, 35100 Padova, Italy Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Paola Farinelli
Affiliation:
RF Microtech, Via G. Duranti, 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Alessandro Faes
Affiliation:
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 314 456
Viviana Mulloni
Affiliation:
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 314 456
Benno Margesin
Affiliation:
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive 18, 38123 Trento, Italy. Phone: +39 0461 314 456
Gaudenzio Meneghesso
Affiliation:
Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova and IUNET, Via Gradenigo 6/b, 35100 Padova, Italy
*
Corresponding author: F. Solazzi Email: solazzi@fbk.eu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents the design and characterization of an active push/pull toggle RF micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) switch for satellite redundancy networks. The actively controlled pull-up mechanism allows for extended restoring capabilities of the switch in case of ON-state stiction. As a proof of concept an active push/pull MEMS capacitive switch was modeled, designed, and manufactured in shunt configuration on a 50 Ω coplanar transmission line. RF measurement results show a return loss better than 15 dB in the 0.1–40 GHz range and an insertion loss better than 0.5 dB over the same range. The restoring capability of the switch was experimentally proved up to 9 h, and a predictive model was proposed for the estimation of the switch time to failure.

Keywords

RF MEMS switchLong-term reliabilityActive restoring mechanism
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 3 , Special Issue 5: RF MEMS , October 2011 , pp. 539 - 546
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Rebeiz, G. M.: RF MEMS: Theory, Design and Technology, Wiley Interscience, 2003, 296–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Daneshmand, M.; Mansour, R.R.: Redundancy RF MEMS multiport switches and switch matrices. IEEE J. Microelectromech. Syst., 16(2) (2007), 296–303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Mardivirin, D. et al. : Charging in dielectricless capacitive RF-MEMS switches. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 57(1) (2009), 231–236CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Tazzoli, A. et al. : Evolution of electrical parameters of dielectric-less ohmic RF-MEMS switches during continuous actuation stress. in IEEE Proc. on ESSDERC Conf. 2009, 2009, 343–346.Google Scholar
[5]Nishijima, N.; Hung, Juo-Jung; Rebeiz, G.M.: A low-voltage high contact force RF-MEMS switch, in IEEE Proc. on IMS Conf., 6–11 June 2004.Google Scholar
[6]Sterner, M. et al. : Coplanar-waveguide embedded mechanically-bistable DC-to-RF MEMS switches, in IEEE Proc. on IMS Conf., 2007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Repchankova, J.; Iannacci, Enhancement of RF-MEMS switch reliability through an active anti-stiction heat-based mechanism. Microelectron. Reliab., 50(9–11) (2010), 1599–1603.Google Scholar
[8]Peroulis, D.; Pacheco, S.P.; Katehi, L.P.B.: RF MEMS switches with enhanced power-handling capabilities. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 52(1) (2004), 59–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[9]Robin, R.; Millet, O.; Segueni, K.; Buchaillot, L.: Low actuation voltage SPDT RF MEMS K band switch using a single gold membrane, in IEEE Proc. on MEMS 2009 Conf., 2009, 872–875.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[10]Simon, W. et al. : Toggle switch: investigations of an RF MEMS switch for power applications. IEEE Proc. Microw. Antennas Propag., 152(5) (2005), 378–384CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[11]Solazzi, F. et al. : Active recovering mechanism for high performance RF MEMS redundancy switches, in Proc. on European Microwave Conf. (EuMC), 28–30 September 2010, 93–96.Google Scholar
[12]Rangra, K. J. et al. : Symmetric toggle switch–a new type of rf MEMS switch for telecommunication applications: design and fabrication. Sens. Actuators A Phys., 123–124, (2005), 505–514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]ANSYS™Inc., www.ansys.comGoogle Scholar
[14]Farinelli, P. et al. : A Low Contact-resistance Winged-bridge RF-MEMS Series Switch for Wide-band Applications. Jour. Eur. Microw. Assoc., 3(3), (2007), 268–278.Google Scholar
[15]Mulloni, V. et al. : Controlling stress and stress gradient during the release process in gold suspended micro-structures. Sens. Actuators A Phys., 1(162) (2010), 93–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[16]Farinelli, P. et al. : A wide tuning range MEMS varactor based on a toggle push–pull mechanism, in Proc. on European Microwave Conf. (EuMC), 27–28 October 2008, 474–477.CrossRefGoogle Scholar