Influence of temperature on the actuation voltage of RF-MEMS switches

Abstract Most of the actual applications for RF-MEMS switch require high reliability, but consolidated qualification procedures are still lacking. This paper focuses, in particular, on the role of temperature on the switch reliability from a mechanical point of view, showing how this depends on the switch architecture and membrane material. Double clamped switches are sensitive to buckling, and this is the factor limiting their operational temperature, even though the range exploitable can be wide enough for many applications. Residual stress and thermal expansion coefficient of the mobile membrane are the most important parameters to understand and control this phenomenon. Cantilever switches are less influenced by the temperature in their performances, and have a much wider operational range. Other temperature-related factors are affecting the switch reliability in this case, such as elastic modulus variation, dielectric charging effects and creep.

[1]  P. Fiorini,et al.  Novel RF-MEMS capacitive switching structures , 2002, 2002 32nd European Microwave Conference.

[2]  C. Goldsmith,et al.  Acceleration of Dielectric Charging in RF MEMS Capacitive Switches , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability.

[3]  J. Papapolymerou,et al.  On the dielectric polarization effects in capacitive RF-MEMS switches , 2005, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2005..

[4]  Francis Pressecq,et al.  Environmental test bench for reliability studies: influence of the temperature on rf switches with metallic membranes , 2002, Symposium on Design, Test, Integration, and Packaging of MEMS/MOEMS.

[5]  Benno Margesin,et al.  Controlling stress and stress gradient during the release process in gold suspended micro-structures , 2010 .

[6]  J.C.M. Hwang,et al.  Anelastic Stress Relaxation in Gold Films and Its Impact on Restoring Forces in MEMS Devices , 2009, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[7]  Giancarlo Bartolucci,et al.  An equivalent-circuit model for shunt-connected coplanar microelectromechanical system switches for high frequency applications , 2008 .

[8]  B. Margesin,et al.  A Flexible Fabrication Process for RF MEMS Devices , 2012 .

[9]  Gaudenzio Meneghesso,et al.  Active recovering mechanism for high performance RF MEMS redundancy switches , 2010, The 40th European Microwave Conference.

[10]  Kuo-Shen Chen.  Techniques in Residual Stress Measurement for MEMS and Their Applications , 2006 .

[11]  Horacio Dante Espinosa,et al.  Effect of temperature on capacitive RF MEMS switch performance—a coupled-field analysis , 2004 .

[12]  Ben D. Beake,et al.  High-temperature nanoindentation testing of fused silica and other materials , 2002 .

[13]  Gabriel M. Rebeiz.  RF MEMS: Theory, Design and Technology , 2003 .

[14]  C. Goldsmith,et al.  Robustness of RF MEMS Capacitive Switches With Molybdenum Membranes , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[15]  G. Alers,et al.  ELASTIC CONSTANTS OF SILVER AND GOLD , 1958 .

[16]  Eugenio Brusa,et al.  Role of the electro-thermo-mechanical multiple coupling on the operation of RF-microswitch , 2012 .

[17]  Roberto Sorrentino,et al.  Effect of substrate on temperature range and power capacity of RF MEMS capacitive switches , 2010, The 40th European Microwave Conference.