A RF-MEMS switchable CPW air-bridge

Abstract

This work presents a new shunt-type ohmic contact RF-MEMS switch specifically designed as a switchable CPW air bridge. The switch can be used in coplanar waveguide (CPW) reconfigurable multimodal circuits, for a selective use of the CPW odd-mode. The bridge is anchored using folded-beam suspensions, in such a way that two points at each end of the bridge remain free to contact the ground planes of the CPW. The suspension has been designed to compensate stress gradients effects and to lower actuation voltage. In the actuated (ON) state, the switch isolation to the odd mode is better than 20dB up to 8GHz and 10dB up to 30GHz.