A novel device for in situ experimental characterization and reliability analysis of DC-contact RF MEMS switches Conference Paper

abstract

• This paper reports a new fully-microfabricated device suitable for characterizing the force-resistance relationship for contact forces in the /spl mu/N region. The device consists of two gold beams-lower and upper beam-suspended 2 and 7.5 /spl mu/m respectively above a coplanar waveguide (cpw) line. An applied electrostatic voltage on the upper beam forces the lower beam to contact the cpw line with a contact force directly proportional to the externally applied electrostatic force. The force-resistance relationship is accurately established by measuring the device isolation over a bandwidth of 40 GHz. Preliminary measurements agree well with previously published experimental results of gold-to-gold contacts.

name of conference

• TRANSDUCERS '03. 12th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems. Digest of Technical Papers (Cat. No.03TH8664)

authors

• Katehi, Linda

published proceedings

• BOSTON TRANSDUCERS'03: DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, VOLS 1 AND 2

author list (cited authors)

• Peroulis, D., & Katehi, L.

citation count

• 1

complete list of authors

• Peroulis, D||Katehi, LPB

publication date

• January 2003

publisher

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)  Publisher

keywords

• Contact Force
• Contact Resistance
• Reliability
• Rf Mems Switch

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1109/sensor.2003.1215612

International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 10

• 0-7803-7731-1

start page

• 867

end page

• 870

volume

• 1

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/sensor.2003.1215612