Design and modeling of 4-bit slow-wave MEMS phase shifters

A true-time-delay multibit microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) phase-shifter topology based on impedance-matched slow-wave coplanar-waveguide sections on a 500-/spl mu/m-thick quartz substrate is presented. A semilumped model for the unit cell is derived and its equivalent-circuit parameters are extracted from measurement and electromagnetic simulation data. This unit cell model can be cascaded to accurately predict N-section phase-shifter performance. Experimental data for a 4.6-mm-long 4-bit device shows a maximum phase error of 5.5/spl deg/ and S/sub 11/ less than -21 dB from 1 to 50 GHz with worst case S/sub 21/ less than -1.2 dB. In a second design, the slow-wave phase shifter was additionally loaded with MEMS capacitors to result in a phase shift of 257/spl deg//dB at 50 GHz, while keeping S/sub 11/ below -19 dB (with S/sub 21/<-1.9 dB). The beams are actuated using high-resistance SiCr bias lines with typical actuation voltage around 30-45 V.     

RF MEMS phase shifters based on PCB MEMS technology

An X-band main-line type loaded line RF MEMS phase shifter fabricated using printed circuit based MEMS technology is reported. The phase shifter provides a phase shift of 31.6/spl deg/ with a minimum insertion loss of 0.56 dB at 9 GHz for an applied DC bias voltage of 40 V. These phase shifters are suitable for monolithic integration with low-cost phased arrays on Teflon or Polyimide such as low dielectric constant substrates.     

W-band CPW RF MEMS circuits on quartz substrates

This paper presents W-band coplanar waveguide RF microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitive shunt switches with very low insertion loss (-0.2 to -0.5 dB) and high-isolation (/spl les/ -30 dB) over the entire W-band frequency range. It is shown that full-wave electromagnetic modeling using Sonnet can predict the performance of RF MEMS switches up to 120 GHz. Also presented are W-band 0/spl deg//90/spl deg/ and 0/spl deg//180/spl deg/ switched-line phase shifters with very good insertion loss (1.75 dB/bit at 90 GHz) and a wide bandwidth of operation (75-100 GHz). These circuits are the first demonstration of RF MEMS digital-type phase shifters at W-band frequencies and they outperform their solid-state counterparts by a large margin.     

A 2-bit miniature X-band MEMS phase shifter

The design and performance of a compact low-loss X-band true-time-delay (TTD) MEMS phase shifter fabricated on 8-mil GaAs substrate is described. A semi-lumped approach using microstrip transmission lines and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors is employed for the delay lines in order to both reduce circuit size as well as avoid the high insertion loss found in typical miniaturized designs. The 2-bit phase shifter achieved an average insertion loss of -0.70 dB at 9.45 GHz, and an associated phase accuracy of /spl plusmn/1.3/spl deg/. It occupies an area of only 5 mm/sup 2/, which is 44% the area of the smallest known X-band MEMS phase shifter . The phase shifter operates over 6-14 GHz with a return loss of better than -14 dB.     

A compact V-band 2-bit reflection-type MEMS phase shifter

Air-gap overlay CPW couplers and low-loss series metal-to-metal contact microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches have been employed to reduce the loss of reflection-type MEMS phase shifters at V-band. Phase shift is obtained by changing the lengths of the open-ended stubs using series MEMS switches. A 2-bit [135] reflection-type MEMS phase shifter showed an average insertion loss of 4 dB with return loss better than 11.7 dB from 50 to 70 GHz. The chip is very compact with a chip size as small as 1.5 mm /spl times/ 2.1 mm.     

A Monolithic Phased Array Using 3-bit Distributed RF MEMS Phase Shifters

This paper presents a novel electronically scanning phased-array antenna with 128 switches monolithically implemented using RF microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The structure, which is designed at 15 GHz, consists of four linearly placed microstrip patch antennas, 3-bit distributed RF MEMS low-loss phase shifters, and a corporate feed network. MEMS switches and high-Q metal-air-metal capacitors are employed as loading elements in the phase shifter. The system is fabricated monolithically using an in-house surface micromachining process on a glass substrate and occupies an area of 6 cm times 5 cm. The measurement results show that the phase shifter can provide nearly 20deg/50deg/95deg phase shifts and their combinations at the expense of 1.5-dB average insertion loss at 15 GHz for eight combinations. It is also shown by measurements that the main beam can be steered to required directions by suitable settings of the RF MEMS phase shifters.     

A 2-bit RF MEMS phase shifter in a thick-film BGA ceramic package

The development of a thick-film hermetic BGA package for a radio-frequency (RF) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) 2-bit phase shifter is presented. The measured packaged MEMS phase shifter average in-band insertion loss was 1.14 dB with an average return loss of 15.9 dB. The package transition insertion loss was less than 0.1 dB per transition with excellent agreement between simulated and measured results. It was also demonstrated that the RF MEMS phase shift performance could be improved to obtain a phase error of less than 3.3 degrees. The first reported measurements of the average rise and fall times associated with a MEMS circuit (in this case a 2-bit phase shifter) were 26 and 70 /spl mu/s, respectively. The advent of packaged RF MEMS phase shifters will reduce the cost (both design and building) of future phase arrays.     

五位分布式MEMS传输线移相器的优化设计

通过在共面波导传输线上周期性地加载分布电容,外加驱动电压改变电容值,实现分布式MEMS传输线移相器。从三个方面优化了五位分布式MEMS传输线移相器的设计:一是分别设计了11.25°和22.5°两种微桥,单元在Ka波段的插入损耗均大于-0.8 dB,回波损耗均小于-15 dB,相移精度小于0.4°,新的五位移相器以2种单元、19个微桥的结构替代了传统单一单元、31个微桥的结构,可减少微桥的总数;二是CPW传输线采用折叠布局,通过共用部分地线,移相器平面尺寸减小至1.81 mm×3.84 mm,相比传统五位分布式移相器,面积减小了56%,实现了器件的小型化;三是设计了一种新型的直流偏置结构,结构简单、工艺容易实现。     

New results for near-millimeter wave isolators and phase shifters based on magnetoplasmons on GaAs substrates

Results are presented for planar “insulated image guide” structures modelling surface magnetoplasmon based non-reciprocal devices for the near-millimeter wave range. Sample results using GaAs substrates show acceptable performance for isolators over a bandwidth of 65 GHz in the 400 GHz range and differential phase shifters over a bandwidth of 30 GHz in the 550 GHz range with a 10% phase shift variation.     

基于微机电系统开关的四位移相器设计

为了解决相控阵雷达小型化和低损耗的问题,设计了一个工作频率为2.2 GHz的射频微机电系统(MEMS)四位开关线型移相器。首先分析了直接接触式MEMS串联开关的插入损耗和隔离度,并得到仿真结果。在此基础上设计了基于该开关的移相范围为0~180o的四位移相器电路,相移量为12o每步。采用HFSS软件对其进行仿真,得到移相精确度、插入损耗和隔离度等关键结果,移相器工作在2.2 GHz时,隔离度大于20 dB,插入损耗小于1 dB。该设计与传统移相器相比体积更小,且具有更小的插入损耗和更大的隔离度。     

An X- to ku-band 3-bit digital MEMS varactor

A 3-bit digital microelectromechanical system (MEMS) varactor bank is demonstrated on a low-cost glass substrate. It is composed of three discrete-position varactors, each of them achieving a capacitance ratio close to 3:1. The total capacitance of the varactor bank is tunable from 146 fF to 430 fF in eight states and is suitable for X- or Ku-band operation. The design can be easily scaled to Ka-band frequencies.     

Distributed MEMS analog phase shifter with enhanced tuning

The design, fabrication, and measurement of a tunable microwave phase shifter is described. The phase shifter combines two techniques: a distributed capacitance transmission line phase shifter, and a large tuning range radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitor. The resulting device is a large bandwidth, continuously tunable, low-loss phase shifter, with state-of-the-art performance. Measurements indicate analog tuning of 170/spl deg/ phase shift per dB loss is possible at 40 GHz, with a 538/spl deg/ phase shift per centimeter. The structure is realized with high-Q MEMS varactors, capable of tuning C/sub max//C/sub min/= 3.4. To our knowledge, this presents the lowest loss analog millimeter wave phase shifter performance to date.     

Asymmetric ring-hybrid phase shifters and attenuators

A new structure of asymmetric ring-hybrid phase shifters and attenuators is presented. Each consists of an asymmetric ring hybrid and reflecting terminations, and it does not have any additional 90° phase delay line for utilizing symmetric reflecting terminations that conventional phase shifters use. To analyze these asymmetric ring-hybrid phase shifters, normalized impedance ratios NI_b and NI_d are introduced, and the possibilities to reduce the size of the reflecting terminations are presented. Using the new structure of the asymmetric ring-hybrid phase shifters, asymmetric ring-hybrid attenuators are synthesized. To analyze the attenuators, normalized resistance ratios NR_Lb and NR_Ld are introduced, so that the resistances in the reflection terminations can arbitrarily be determined. On the basis of the derived new structures, a uniplanar asymmetric ring-hybrid -135° phase shifter and a microstrip asymmetric 4-dB attenuator with 45° phase shift have been fabricated and measured. They show good agreement between measured and simulated results and they may be used for impedance transformers besides their original functions     

High-temperature superconductor resonators and phase shifters

High-T_c resonators and hybrid digital phase shifters have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (YBCO) films used were off-axis sputtered onto 0.5-mm-thick [100] LaAlO₃ substrates and have surface impedances at 10 GHz as low as 20 μΩ at 4.2 K and 300 μΩ at 77 K. The dielectric constant of the LaAlO₃ substrates was measured using straight-line and ring resonator techniques. The superconductor straight-line resonator, which uses silver as its ground plane, has a moderately high Q factor and has an electromagnetic feedthrough level below -65 dB up to 10 GHz. The authors also report the first demonstration of a semiconductor/superconductor microwave digital phase shifter. YBCO film was used to form the circuit, with semiconductor p-i-n diodes serving as switches. A 4-b superconductor phase-shifter design is also presented along with simulation results that indicate maximum total insertion loss (which occurs with all bits forward-biased) at 77 K to be 1.1 dB at 10 GHz     

基于载波和边带相位控制的微波光子移相器

为了实现一种360°相移新型微波光子移相器，通过使用一个相位调制器、延迟线和光学滤波器来控制载波和边带的相位，最终控制射频信号的相位。相位调制器只需控制一个电压来调节移相角度，减少了使用复杂双平行马赫-曾德尔调制器所导致的漂移带来的影响，具有结构简单、成本较低等优点。结果表明，仿真验证的微波光子移相器可以在0GHz~40GHz频率范围内实现从0°~360°的全相移范围，并且在同一输出相位情况下，频率在0GHz~40GHz范围内，功率基本保持不变。此研究对微波光子移相器技术有一定参考意义。     

Phase-noise analysis of MEMS-based circuits and phase shifters

The effect of Brownian, acceleration, acoustic, and power-supply noise on MEMS based circuits has been calculated for MEMS.-based circuits (phase shifters, delay circuits). The calculations are done for capacitive shunt MEMS switches and metal-to-metal contact series MEMS switches. It is found that these effects result in both an amplitude and phase noise, with the phase noise being around 100× larger than the amplitude noise. The phase noise due to Brownian motion is negligible for MEMS switches with k ≃ 1.0 N/m, g₀ > 2 μm, Q > 0.5, and f₀ ≃ 50 kHz. The effect of acceleration and acoustic noise is negligible for a total acceleration noise of 10 g or less and a total acoustic noise of 74-dB sound pressure level. The power-supply noise depends on the bias conditions of the MEMS element, but is negligible for MEMS switches with a bias voltage of 0 V and a total noise voltage of 0.1 V or less. It is also found that metal-to-metal contact series switches result in much less phase noise than standard capacitive shunt switches. The phase noise increases rapidly for low spring-constant bridges (k = 0.24 N/m), low-height bridges, and bridges with a large mechanical damping (Q < 0.3). Also, varactor-based designs result in 30-40 dB more phase noise than switch-based circuits. This paper proves that microwave passive circuits built using MEMS switches (with a proper mechanical design) can be used in most commercial and military applications without any phase-noise penalty     

基于砷化镓衬底的RF MEMS膜开关

射频微机械开关由于其优越的高频特性在微波和毫米波电路中表现出巨大的应用前景。但是目前的微机械开关都是制作在硅基衬底上的，难于与后面的高频砷化镓处理电路相集成。本文介绍了基于砷化镓衬底的RFMEMS膜开关，着重介绍了开关的工作原理、制作过程和测试结果。     

基于砷化镓衬底的RF MEMS膜开关

射频微机械开关由于其优越的高频特性在微波和毫米波电路中表现出巨大的应用前景。但是目前的微机械开关都是制作在硅基衬底上的 ,难于与后面的高频砷化镓处理电路相集成。本文介绍了基于砷化镓衬底的RFMEMS膜开关 ,着重介绍了开关的工作原理、制作过程和测试结果     

Nonlinear synthesis of phase shifters, based on synchronized oscillators

The phase shifters based on the synchronization of an oscillator to the input signal enable low consumption, low cost, and small size. However, the difficulties for an accurate design, associated to the complexity of the operation regime, limit their application to communication systems. Here, a technique is presented for the nonlinear synthesis of oscillator-based phase shifters. The technique provides the circuit-element values for a specified phase shift. The tuning voltage required to maintain a constant phase-shift value along a certain frequency band is also determined. Using these techniques, an injection-locked voltage-controlled oscillator, covering the 1.17-1.3GHz band has been designed and manufactured. The validity of the design is verified through nonlinear simulations and measurements. These include the phase-noise variation along the phase-shift interval and the circuit response versus modulated inputs. Good agreement has been obtained between measurements and simulations.     

Synthesis of ultrawideband differential phase shifters based on coupled transmission lines

Stepped and multielement differential phase shifters based on coupled transmission lines whose ends are connected by a connecting section are synthesized. It is found that a multielement structure with conventional C sections containing a zero-length connecting section should be used in the design of wideband phase shifters with a specified rated phase shift of φ₀ ≥ 180°, whereas stepped structures with a connecting section whose length is half the midband operating wavelength should be used in the design of wideband phase shifters with φ₀ > 180°.