Electrothermally Actuated RF MEMS Switches Suspended on a Low-Resistivity Substrate |
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Authors: | Girbau D Pradell L Lazaro A Nebot A |
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Affiliation: | Univ. Politecnica de Catalunya, Barcelona; |
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Abstract: | This paper presents an electrothermally actuated lateral resistive-contact switch for application to low-gigahertz-band communication systems. It was manufactured on a standard low-resistivity substrate, and its RF performance was improved by suspending the structures 25 mum from the substrate, which is a strategy for future integration with active devices in the system-on-chip concept. Measured insertion losses are -0.26 dB at 1 GHz and -0.65 dB at 6 GHz, return losses are -29 dB at 1 GHz and -25 dB at 6 GHz, and isolations are -52 dB at 1 GHz and -26 dB at 6 GHz. The device is driven by a metal electrothermal actuator, which achieves large displacements and contact forces at much lower temperatures than traditional polysilicon electrothermal actuators. The RF power handling characteristics are also addressed and measured. |
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