Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T13:26:17.187Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Analysis of Au metal–metal contacts in a lateral actuated RF MEMS switch

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2014

Markus Gaitzsch ,
Steffen Kurth ,
Sven Voigt ,
Sven Haas  and
Thomas Gessner
Markus Gaitzsch*
Affiliation:
Center for Microtechnologies, Chemnitz University of Technology, Reichenhainer Str. 70, Chemnitz D-09126, Germany
Steffen Kurth
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer ENAS, Technologie-Campus 3, Chemnitz D-09126, Germany
Sven Voigt
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer ENAS, Technologie-Campus 3, Chemnitz D-09126, Germany
Sven Haas
Affiliation:
Center for Microtechnologies, Chemnitz University of Technology, Reichenhainer Str. 70, Chemnitz D-09126, Germany
Thomas Gessner
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer ENAS, Technologie-Campus 3, Chemnitz D-09126, Germany
*
Corresponding author: M. Gaitzsch Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper reports on the ohmic contacts of an radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical-system (RF MEMS) switch. The structure of the MEMS is described briefly to give information about the organization of the switch device. The most significant performance data are reported, indicating very low actuation voltage below 5 V, switching time of <10 µs and good RF performance for frequencies up to 5 GHz. Since the contact performance is a key for excellent RF performance in the actuated state and for high reliability as well the article is focused on the contacts. It is supposed that asperities are building the current path in a closed contact, which is proved by measurements of the closing process with high time resolution. The measurements exhibit very good power-handling capabilities of the contacts. The reported findings render prior theoretical experiments with a physical device.

Keywords

RF-MEMS and MOEMSModelingSimulation and characterizations of devices and circuits
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 6 , Issue 5: MEMSWAVE Symposium 2013 , October 2014 , pp. 481 - 486
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Ma, Q. et al. : Metal contact reliability of RF MEMS switches, in Proc. SPIE 6463, 2007, 646305–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Patel, C.D.; Rebeiz, G.M.: An RF-MEMS switch with mN contact forces, in Microwave Symp. Digest (MTT), 2010 IEEE MTT-S Int., 2010, 1242–1245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Jensen, B.D.; Huang, K.; Chow, L.L.-W.; Kurabayashi, K.: Adhesion effects on contact opening dynamics in micromachined switches. J. Appl. Phys., 97 (10) (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Majumder, S.; McGruer, N.E.; Adams, G.G.; Zavracky, P.M.; Morrison, R.H.; Krim, J.: Study of contacts in an electrostatically actuated microswitch. Sens. Actuators Phys., 93 (1) (2001), 19–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[5]Patton, S.T.; Zabinski, J.S.: Fundamental studies of Au contacts in MEMS RF switches. Tribol. Lett., 18 (2) (2005), 215–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6]Du, Y.; Adams, G.G.; McGruer, N.E.; Etsion, I.: A parameter study of separation modes of adhering microcontacts. J. Appl. Phys., 103 (6) (2008), 064902–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Tringe, J.; Wilson, W.G.; Houston, J.E.: Conduction properties of microscopic gold contact surfaces. Proc. SPIE 4558, 2001, 151–158.Google Scholar
[8]Rebeiz, G.M.; Patel, C.D.; Han, S.K.; Ko, C.-H.; Ho, K.M.J.: The search for a reliable MEMS switch. IEEE Microw. Mag., 14 (1) (2013), 57–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[9]Liu, A.Q.; Tang, M.; Agarwal, A.; Alphones, A.: Low-loss lateral micromachined switches for high frequency applications. J. Micromech. Microeng., 15 (1) (2005), 157–167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[10]Sterner, M.; Roxhed, N.; Stemm, G.; Oberhammer, J.: Static zero-power-consumption coplanar waveguide embedded DC-to-RF metal-contact MEMS switches in two-port and three-port configuration. IEEE Trans. Electron Dev., 57 (7) (2010), 1659–1669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[11]Guo, Z.J.; McGruer, N.E.; Adams, G.G.: Modeling, simulation and measurement of the dynamic performance of an ohmic contact, electrostatically actuated RF MEMS switch. J. Micromech. Microeng., 17 (9) (2007), 1899–1909.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[12]Akiba, A. et al. : A fast and low actuation voltage MEMS switch for mm-wave and its integration, in IEEE Int. Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), 2010, 828–831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]Kurth, S. et al. : Reliability enhancement of Ohmic RF MEMS switches, in Proc. SPIE 7928, 2011, 79280C–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[14]Broue, A. et al. : Methodology to analyze failure mechanisms of ohmic contacts on MEMS switches, in 2009 IEEE Int. Symp. on Reliability Physics, 2009, 869–873.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[15]Kwon, H. et al. : Investigation of the electrical contact behaviors in Au-to-Au thin-film contacts for RF MEMS switches. J. Micromech. Microeng., 18 (10) (2008), 105010.CrossRefGoogle Scholar