Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Electric charge generating or conducting means – Use of forces of electric charge or field
Patent
1997-04-28
1999-03-09
Elms, Richard T.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Electric charge generating or conducting means
Use of forces of electric charge or field
361234, 334 55, 333262, H01G 2300
Patent
active
058809210
ABSTRACT:
A monolithically integrated switched capacitor bank using MEMS technology that is capable of handling GHz signal frequencies in both the RF and millimeter bands while maintaining precise digital selection of capacitor levels over a wide tuning range. Each MEMS switch includes a cantilever arm that is affixed to the substrate and extends over a ground line and a gapped signal line. An electrical contact is formed on the bottom of the cantilever arm positioned above and facing the gap in the signal line. A top electrode atop the cantilever arm forms a control capacitor structure above the ground line. A capacitor structure, preferably a MEMS capacitor suspended above the substrate at approximately the same height as the cantilever arm, is anchored to the substrate and connected in series with a MEMS switch. The MEMS switch is actuated by applying a voltage to the top electrode, which produces an electrostatic force that attracts the control capacitor structure toward the ground line, thereby causing the electrical contact to close the gap in the signal line and connect the MEMS capacitor structure between a pair of output terminals. The integrated MEMS switch-capacitor pairs have a large range between their on-state and off-state impedance, and thus exhibit superior isolation and insertion loss characteristics.
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Bartlett James L.
Chang Mau Chung F.
Marcy, 5th Henry O.
Mehrotra Deepak
Pedrotti Kenneth D.
Elms Richard T.
Huynh Kim
Rockwell Science Center LLC
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