Low Voltage Rf Microelectro-Mechanical Switch Using 0.35 Μm Mimos Cmos Compatible Process
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Date
2014-08
Authors
Jaafar, Haslina
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Abstract
Low voltage RF MEMS switch that can be integrated with other circuits is required in the consumer product, industrial and telecommunication sector. Voltage actuation less than 10 V with simple fabrication process is desirable as most of applications need low power system with low fabrication cost. As for now, commercialized RF MEMS switch has voltage actuation of 90 V using MEMS fabrication process. This thesis describes the work carried out in the development of a low voltage (<10 V) of RF MEMS switch for application of telecommunication which is able to operate at frequency of 1 to 25 GHz. System–level and physical-level (Finite Element Module) simulations, Coventor Ware were used to design and simulate the voltage actuation, switching speed, resonance frequency and hysteresis. Results obtained from the two methods of software modules were compared. The RF
performances, insertion loss and isolation were also simulated using the electromagnetic analyzer, EM3DS. The RF MEMS switch is fabricated using 0.35μm MIMOS CMOS Multi-Wafer Project (MPW). This CMOS compatible process is simple and reliable. Post-process which is wet etching was implemented to etch the sacrificial layer (oxide) under the metal through the small holes on the bridge to obtain the bridge structure. As a result, fabricated switch with dimension of 2x2-meander and 4x4-meander have lowest voltage actuation of 10.4 V and 6.0 V, respectively. Insertion loss for switch 2x2-meander is about -6 dB at 1 GHz or -18 dB at 17 GHz while the isolation is -22 dB at 17 GHz. Switch 4x4-meander has insertion loss of -12 dB at 10 GHz which is quite high while the isolation -21 dB at 25 GHz and get better for higher frequencies. These results show the switches have about 10 V of voltage actuation and actuation time about 17 μs with good RF performances would have high potential to be applied in telecommunication sector which require low power operations.
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Low voltage RF MEMS switch , is required in the consumer product