Additively Manufactured, Low Loss 20 GHz DC Contact RF MEMS Switch Using Laterally Actuated, Fix-Free Beam

This paper presents a new type of 3D printed, electrostatically actuated DC contact RF MEMS switch that is integrated within a suspended finite-ground coplanar waveguide (FG-CPW). The design, 3D printing processes, and RF characterization are detailed. In this design, CPW lines are patterned over a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Firat, Omer F., Wang, Jing, Weller, Thomas M.
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
3D printing
additive manufacturing
cantilever beam
Contacts
FG-CPW
metal to metal contact
Microswitches
Performance evaluation
Radio frequency
RF MEMS switch
Semiconductor lasers
Three-dimensional displays
Voltage
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Summary:This paper presents a new type of 3D printed, electrostatically actuated DC contact RF MEMS switch that is integrated within a suspended finite-ground coplanar waveguide (FG-CPW). The design, 3D printing processes, and RF characterization are detailed. In this design, CPW lines are patterned over a printed fixed-fixed beam and the RF switches in the form of a cantilever beam are laser machined within the RF signal path. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and CB028 silver paste are used to fabricate the suspended CPW lines and the switch over an air cavity. Pull-in voltage in the range of 29-36 Volts along with isolation of 20 dB and insertion loss of 0.37 dB at 20 GHz are demonstrated. The proposed method of fabrication enables designs on mm-length scales with ~5 micron-level realized feature sizes, providing a unique solution for reconfigurable packaging with flexibility in terms of RF performance and actuation voltage requirements.
ISSN:2576-7216
DOI:10.1109/IMS19712.2021.9574805