Inductively‐loaded RF MEMS reconfigurable filters

This article presents an inductively loaded radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) reconfigurable filter with spurious suppression implemented using packaged metal‐contact switches. Both simulation and measurement results show a two‐state, two‐pole 5% filter with a tuning range of 17% from 1.06 GHz to 1.23 GHz, an insertion loss of 1.56–2.28 dB and return loss better than 13 dB over the tuning range. The spurious passband response in both states is suppressed below ?20 dB. The unloaded Q of the filter changes from 127 to 75 as the filter is tuned from 1.06 GHz to 1.23 GHz. The design and full‐wave simulation of a two‐bit RF MEMS tunable filter with inductively loaded resonators and monolithic metal‐contact MEMS switches is also presented to prove the capability of applying the inductive‐loading technique to multibit reconfigurable filters. The simulation results for a two‐bit reconfigurable filter show 2.5 times improvement in the tuning range compared with the two‐state reconfigurable filter due to lower parasitics associated with monolithic metal‐contact MEMS switches in the filter structure. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2009.     

RF MEMS,BST, and GaAs varactor system‐level response in complex modulation systems

This article presents the response of RF microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS), barium strontium titanate (BST), and gallium arsenide (GaAs)‐based tunable filters and reconfigurable matching networks to a wideband code‐division‐multiple‐access signal centered at 1.95 GHz. The RF MEMS tunable filter and impedance tuner result in very low intermodulation distortion and spectral regrowth compared to their BST and GaAs counterparts. The linearity of the BST and GaAs tunable networks improves considerably by using a series combination of BST and GaAs varactors, but the RF MEMS‐based networks still show the best linearity of all three technologies. Also, it is shown that the reconfigurable networks, tuned with capacitive RF MEMS can handle up to 1 W of RF power with no self‐actuation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2008.     

Synthesis and design of tunable bandpass filters with constant absolute bandwidth using varactor‐loaded microstrip resonator

This article presents two new types of tunable filters with constant absolute bandwidth using varactor‐loaded microstrip resonators. First, the second‐ and third‐order Butterworth tunable filters are designed based on the parallel coupled‐line J inverters. Second, a fourth‐order Chebyshev tunable filter is designed based on the alternative J/K inverters, in this design, two adjacent resonators are coupled with each other through a short‐circuited transmission line as the K inverter. The proposed two topologies can be easily extended to high‐order tunable filter. Three tunable bandpass filters with J and alternative J/K inverters, respectively, are built with a tuning range from ～1.8 to ～2.3 GHz. The measured second‐order filter has a 3‐dB bandwidth of 160 ± 6 MHz and an insertion loss of 2.4–3.8 dB. The third‐order filter shows a 3‐dB bandwidth of 197 ± 5 MHz and an insertion loss of 3.8–4.8 dB. The fourth‐order filter shows a 3‐dB bandwidth of 440 ± 5 MHz and an insertion loss of 2.1–2.6 dB. For all the designed filters, the measured results are found in excellent agreement with the predicted and simulated results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 24:681–689, 2014.     

Dual‐band band pass filter using stub‐loaded open‐loop resonators with wide controllable bandwidths

Two dual‐band band pass filters (BPF) using stub‐loaded open‐loop (SLOL) resonator are presented in this article. A novel coupling tuning method by changing the relative coupling position of the resonators is proposed to control the bandwidth of each passband in a wide range. Transmission zeros are created to improve the selectivity by source‐load coupling. Because of the large ratio of two bandwidths, a novel dual‐band matching method is proposed to match the different load impedances at two passband frequencies to the same source impedance. Hence, relax the fabrication requirement of gap. The proposed dual‐band band pass filter is designed and fabricated. The measured 3 dB fractional bandwidths (FBWs) of two 2.45/5.25 GHz dual‐band BPFs are 6.5%/14.5% and 9.8%/5.5%, respectively. The results are in good agreement with the simulation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 24:367–374, 2014.     

Influence and tuning of tunable screws for microwave filters using least squares support vector regression

This article presents an approach that can analyze the influence of tunable screws and perform a computer‐aided tuning for microwave filters. In the approach, a machine‐learning model that reveals the influence of tunable screws on the filter response is first developed by least squares support vector regression, according to some data from the tuning experience of filters. Then a computer‐aided tuning procedure based on the model is proposed, and the obtained adjusting amount of tunable screws can assist an unskilled operator to perform a fast and accurate tuning. The approach is validated by some experiments and the results confirm the effectiveness. The approach is particularly suitable to the computer‐aided tuning of volume‐producing filters. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.     

An Integrated 800-MHz Coupled-Resonator Tunable Bandpass Filter in Silver With a Constant Bandwidth

This paper presents a fully integrated tunable lumped filter on silicon using a low-temperature silver micromachining process. A prototype 836-MHz bandpass filter with a 3-dB bandwidth of 5.9% and insertion loss of 4.8 dB is demonstrated in a second-order coupled-resonator configuration. Continuous tuning of 50 MHz is achieved by electrostatically actuating the lateral air-gap capacitors of the filter. To control the bandwidth while tuning the center frequency, reconfigurable termination impedance is proposed. As a proof of concept, a low-noise amplifier with tunable input impedance is designed to interface with the bandpass filter. The tunable impedance is realized at the input of the low-noise amplifier using a shunt positive metal–oxide–semiconductor transistor. The fabrication, design, and measurement results of the filter are detailed, and future research directions to improve the performance of such filters are discussed.$hfill$[2009-0031]      

Design of wide range MEMS tunable capacitor for RF applications

The RF applications like voltage controlled oscillators, tunable filters, resonators etc., requires tunable capacitors in their designs. This paper presents the design of wide range MEMS tunable capacitors for RF applications. This design consists of an air suspended bottom plate and a fixed top plate. The top fixed plate and the suspended bottom plate form the tunable capacitor. The capacitance range of this tunable capacitor is from 69.172 to 138.344?nF. This range is wider compared with the conventional MEMS tunable capacitors of tuning ranges in pico Farads. The fabrication process is similar to that of the existing standard integrated circuit fabrication processes, which makes this design suitable for integrated RF applications.     

Design and process considerations for fabricating RF MEMS switches on printed circuit boards

Design considerations and process development for fabricating radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) switches on microwave laminate printed circuit boards (PCBs) are presented in details in this work. Two key processes, high-density inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDICP CVD) for low-temperature silicon nitride deposition, and compressive molding planarization (COMP) have been developed for fabricating RF MEMS switches on PCB. The effects of process conditions of HDICP CVD on low-temperature nitride film are fully characterized for its use in RF MEMS switches on PCB. Not only can COMP planarize the surface of the photoresist for lithographic patterning over topologically complex surfaces, but also simultaneously create a membrane relief pattern on the surface of a MEMS structure. Several membrane-type capacitive switches have been fabricated showing excellent RF performance and dynamic responses similar to those on semiconductor substrates. This technology promises the potential of enabling further monolithic integration of switches with other RF components, such as antennas, microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs), phase shifters, tunable filters, and transmission lines on the same PCBs reducing the losses due to impedance mismatching from components/system assembly and simplifies the design of the whole RF system. [1416].     

Variable bandwidth,wide tunable frequency,voltage tuned filter

This article discusses the development of an electronically tuned filter capable of a wide tunable frequency range and simultaneous 3-dB bandwidth variations at any frequency within its tuning range. Varactor-tunable filters are designed using high-dielectric, soft-substrate material for printed resonators as well as also high-Q ceramic resonators, and their test data are compared. Greater than 50% tuning range with low insertion loss at a center frequency in the L and S frequency bands is demonstrated with a 4:1 change in 3-dB bandwidth—30 to 120 MHz for printed resonators and 14 to 46 MHz for ceramic resonators. The concept of tuning a filter's 3-dB bandwidth with voltage is demonstrated and the effect of the bandwidth tuning elements on the tunable filter performance is discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 14, 64–72, 2004.     

MEMS集成滤波器技术

滤波器是频率转换系统(如,调谐电路、接收器)的基本构成模块。借助于MEMS技术实现的滤波器不仅带来插入损耗、功耗、线性等性能的改善,也有利于将整个通信前端集成到单一芯片上。综述了MEMS可调滤波器的研究进展。与单一利用MEMS电容的调变实现频率可调的滤波器相比,分形可调MEMS滤波技术有更小的插入损耗和更宽的调频范围。     

MEMS based humidity sensor using Si cantilever beam for harsh environmental conditions

The RF applications like voltage controlled oscillators, tunable filters, resonators etc., requires tunable capacitors in their designs. This paper presents the design of wide range MEMS tunable capacitors for RF applications. This design consists of an air suspended bottom plate and a fixed top plate. The top fixed plate and the suspended bottom plate form the tunable capacitor. The capacitance range of this tunable capacitor is from 69.172 to 138.344 nF. This range is wider compared with the conventional MEMS tunable capacitors of tuning ranges in pico Farads. The fabrication process is similar to that of the existing standard integrated circuit fabrication processes, which makes this design suitable for integrated RF applications.     

Microwave dual‐band bandstop filter with improved spurious resonance behavior

A design technique to improve the spurious resonance behavior of dual‐band bandstop filters is presented. A compact dual‐band bandstop filter with two stop bands that can be controlled independently with improved passband frequency response is designed. The operational bandwidth of the proposed compact dual‐band bandstop filter is increased by pushing the first spurious resonance from being about twice the resonance frequency to more than three times the resonance frequency. Stepped impedance open loop resonators with substantially increased outer‐edge width are used to improve the spurious resonance response. Both simulation and measured results are presented and good agreement is obtained between the results. The fabricated filter exhibits dual operating frequencies at 1460 MHz and 2640 MHz with 5.5% and 5% stopband fractional bandwidths, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 23: 627–633, 2013.     

A tunable balanced dual‐band BPF with quasi‐independently controlled center frequency and bandwidth

In this paper, a balanced dual‐band bandpass filter (BPF) with high selectivity and low insertion loss performance is presented by employing stub loaded resonators (SLRs) and stepped impedance resonators (SIRs) into balanced microstrip‐slotline (MS) transition structures. The balanced MS transition structures can achieve a wideband common‐mode (CM) suppression which is independent of the differential‐mode (DM) response, significantly simplifying the design procedure. Six varactors are loaded into the resonators to achieve the electrical reconfiguration. The proposed balanced dual‐band BPF can realize quasi‐independently tunable center frequencies and bandwidths. A tuning center frequency from 2.48 to 2.85 GHz and a fractional bandwidth (20.16%‐7.02%) with more than 15 dB return loss and less than 2.36 dB insertion loss are achieved in the first passband. The second passband can realize a tuning center frequency from 3.6 to 3.95 GHz with more than 12 dB return loss and less than 2.38 dB insertion loss. A good agreement between the simulated and measured results is observed.     

基于共平面波导的可调低通滤波器的设计和制作

介绍了一种使用多触点MEMS开关实现的新型可调微波MEMS低通滤波器,应用MEMS制作工艺在石英衬底上实现滤波器结构.滤波器基于慢波共平面波导周期性结构,具有尺寸小、插损低、可与单片微波集成电路工艺兼容等优点.滤波器截止频率的大小取决于MEMS开关的状态.实验结果表明,当MEMS开关受到激励时,低通滤波器的3-dB截止频率从12.5GHz转换至6.1GHz,带内纹波小于0.5dB,带外抑制大于40dB,开关的驱动电压在25V左右.     

A complete UMTS transmitter using BAW filters and duplexer: A 90‐nm CMOS digital RF signal generator and a 0.25‐μm BiCMOS power amplifier

A complete UMTS transmitter is proposed. It is composed of a radiofrequency (RF) signal generator, a power stage, and a bulk acoustic wave (BAW) duplexer. The 90‐nm CMOS digital RF signal generator is based on a third‐order delta‐sigma modulator using innovative design techniques to increase work frequency and a BAW filter to get rid of out‐of‐band quantization noise. The filter exhibits very high rejection, 3 dB of insertion losses at 1.95 GHz for a 3% fractional bandwidth. The 0.25‐μm BiCMOS power stage feeds a BAW duplexer that allows to share a common between W‐CDMA emission and reception. This 4 × 4 mm² duplexer, built with flip‐chipped BAW on glass substrate, ensures good isolation. The full transmitter measurements show the compliance with respect to spurious emissions in the different frequency bands and an EVM measurement at the state of the art (<5%). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2011.     

High power GaN‐HEMT SPDT switches for microwave applications

In this article, the design, fabrication, and on‐wafer test of X‐Band and 2–18 GHz wideband high‐power SPDT MMIC switches in AlGaN/GaN technology are presented. The switches have demonstrated state‐of‐the‐art performance and RF fabrication yield better than 65%. Linear and power measurements for different control voltages have been reported and an explanation of the dependence of the power performances on the control voltage is given. In particular, the X‐band switch exhibits a 0.4 dB compression level at 10 GHz when driven by a 38 dBm input signal. The wideband switch shows a compression level of 1 dB at an input drive higher than 38 dBm across the entire bandwidth. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2009.     

A tunable 0.86‐3.83 GHz bandpass filter with high selectivity

This letter presents a tunable bandpass filter (BPF) with wide tuning range of center frequency and high selectivity. The wide frequency tuning range is achieved by two pairs of switchable varactors‐tuned parallel coupled line resonators with direct‐feed structure, which can be switched to lower and higher frequency resonator modes by using p‐i‐n diodes. Since the electromagnetic mixed coupling and frequency‐variant source‐load coupling are incorporated in this configuration, three self‐adaptive transmission zeros (TZs) close to the tunable passband are obtained. Also, three TZs can almost keep the same relative location of passband to achieve continuous high selectivity and good out‐of‐band rejection over the whole frequency tuning range. Meanwhile, by selecting a proper coupling region, a constant fractional bandwidth (CFBW) in the frequency tuning process can be realized. For verification, a tunable 0.86‐3.83 GHz BPF with a 12% CFBW and high selectivity is designed, fabricated and measured. The experimental results show the proposed filter has the advantages of wide tuning range and high selectivity.     

A current‐mode tunable low‐supply‐voltage ring oscillator

A new circuit topology using a current‐mode low‐pass filter for sinusoids has been presented. The technique is relatively simple, in the proposed circuit, only three identical current‐mode low‐pass filters are connected to each other to realize the small signal path. No external passive components are required except for three capacitors. When compared with LC oscillators, the die area of this work, without inductors, is much smaller. When compared with voltage‐mode ring oscillators, the supply voltage of this work is much lower. As a particular example, a 2.4 GHz, 1.2‐V power supply, 5‐mW sinusoidal oscillator is demonstrated. The oscillation frequency is tuned by the value of that three capacitors, over ～900 MHz, and the tuning range is 37.5%. The phase noise results in ?94 and ?120 dBc/Hz at 1 and 10 MHz from the carrier, respectively. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.     

Microstrip dual‐band bandpass filters using parallel‐connected open‐loop ring resonators

This article proposes a microstrip dual‐band bandpass filter that uses parallel‐connected open‐loop ring resonators. Compared to many microstrip dual‐band filters, the advantages of using microstrip open‐loop ring resonators are easy calculation (half‐guided‐wavelength), easy fabrication (equal width for all 50‐Ω lines and without grounding holes), and direct connection to external feed lines (reducing insertion loss caused by gap couplings). Another advantage of the filter is an asymmetrical feed on the ring resonator that provides sharp rejections at its adjacent bands. The input and output matches of resonators to the external feed lines are derived using a simple transmission‐line theory. The results of the derivation provide a simple design rule for filter designers. Simulated and measured results are presented with good agreement. The filter has minimum insertion loss of 1.25 dB at 1.85 GHz and 1.6 dB at 2.33 GHz. The 3‐dB fractional bandwidths are 5.9% for the 1.9‐GHz bandpass filter and 4.7% for the 2.4‐GHz bandpass filter, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2008.     

MEMS switches controlled multi-split ring resonator as a tunable metamaterial component

Based on the multisplit-ring resonator (MSRR) with MEMS switches, a tunable metamaterial component is proposed in this paper to realize multiband applications. Numerical simulations are carried out to verify the tunable capacity of the proposed structure. The simulated results show that the resonance frequency of the metamaterial component shifts to higher frequencies when the MEMS switches are at different states, and depends strongly on the place, state and microbeam height of MEMS switches. Moreover, the large tunable range can be obtained by controlling the up state or down state of MEMS switches, while the small tunable range can be obtained by controlling microbeam height of MEMS switches. That is, such controlling ways can realize both rough and minor tunable metamaterial component. The tunable method proposed in this paper is of great practical values in designing tunable metamaterial and negative refractive index material.