RF MEMS Component Development 

This project is devoted to developing RF components which employ MEMS technology.  Currently capacitive switches, loaded line phase shifters, switched line phase shifters, triple stub impedance matchers, controlled power dividers, integrated phased arrays are being designed and produced.

Fig. 1: Actuation voltage simulation with CoventorWare, of meander-type, shunt, capacitive RF MEMS switch.


Fig. 2: RF MEMS shunt, capacitive switch with actuation pads over CPW ground lines.


Fig. 3: A closer view of the actuation pad of the RF MEMS series, direct contact switch.


Fig. 4: RF MEMS shunt, capacitive switch, called "T-Wing", with actuation pads over RF grounds, and anchor point on the CPW active line.


Fig. 5: A closer view of the adjustable length stubs used in the impedance matching network and the power divider.

APPLICATION AREA

• Air traffic control systems
• Satellite communication systems
• GSM transmit and receive units
• Telephone switching networks
• Multiband wireless communication systems

ADVANTAGES

• Low fabrication cost
• Low insertion loss
• High isolation
• Low power consumption
• Superior linearity
  
• Integration with MMIC component

BASIC PROCESSING STEPS

• Metallization
• Silicon Nitride deposition for isolation
• Sacrificial layer deposition
• Metallization
• Electroplating
• Etching of sacrificial layer
  

FUTURE GOALS

• Increasing the variety of the components
• Integration of various components to form on-chip systems.
• Increasing the performance of the components with better designs.
• Developing the current process to enable different designs.