An All-Metal Micro-Relay With Bulk Foil Pt–Rh Contacts for High-Power RF Applications

This paper describes the performance of stainless-steel micro-relays, with platinum-rhodium metal foil contact elements, in handling high-power RF signals. The electrical and thermal responses are described for electrostatically actuated three-terminal micro-relays that are directly assembled on printed circuit boards. The preliminary designs have footprints of 6.4 mm2. Fabricated relays have 90-V turn-on (pull-down) voltage. The down-state insertion loss and up-state isolation were better than 0.2 and 25 dB over the band of dc-5 GHz, respectively. The devices can accommodate incident RF power up to 18.5 W at 3 GHz when cooled by forced air from a mini-fan.

[1]  Y. Gianchandani,et al.  Batch mode micro-electro-discharge machining , 2002 .

[2]  K. Leedy,et al.  Selecting metal alloy electric contact materials for MEMS switchesThe views expressed in this paper , 2004 .

[3]  Gudrun Fischer,et al.  RF MEMS for Ubiquitous Wireless Connectivity: Part 2--Application-Part Two covers the utilization of , 2004 .

[4]  Robert E. Fulton,et al.  PARAMETER DESIGN OF HEAT SINK : MULTIPLE TRADE-OFFS , 1997 .

[5]  U. Prechtel,et al.  High-power handling capability of low complexity RF-MEMS switch in Ku-band , 2007 .

[6]  A. Behrends,et al.  High Temperature Mechanical Properties of the Platinum Group Metals STRESS-RUPTURE STRENGTH AND CREEP BEHAVIOUR AT EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES , 1999 .

[7]  K. Van Caekenberghe,et al.  RF MEMS on the radar , 2009 .

[8]  N. McGruer,et al.  Mechanical, Thermal, and Material Influences on Ohmic-Contact-Type MEMS Switch Operation , 2006, 19th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[9]  Shih-Chia Chang,et al.  Integrated microrelays: concept and initial results , 2002 .

[10]  S. H. Bowden,et al.  A 9ns Electrically Erasable Cmos Programmable Logic Device , 1988, 1988 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, 1988 ISSCC. Digest of Technical Papers.

[11]  J. Maciel,et al.  A packaged, high-lifetime ohmic MEMS RF switch , 2003, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003.

[12]  H.J. De Los Santos,et al.  RF MEMS for ubiquitous wireless connectivity. Part II. Application , 2004, IEEE Microwave Magazine.

[13]  Bernd Fischer,et al.  High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of the Platinum Group Metals , 2006 .

[14]  L. Buchaillot,et al.  Low Actuation Voltage SPDT RF MEMS K Band Switch using a Single Gold Membrane , 2009, 2009 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[15]  Jong-Uk Bu,et al.  Contact materials and reliability for high power RF-MEMS switches , 2007, 2007 IEEE 20th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS).

[16]  T. Çagin,et al.  Thermal and mechanical properties of Pt-Rh alloys , 1996, cond-mat/9611241.

[17]  Stepan Lucyszyn,et al.  Review of radio frequency microelectromechanical systems technology , 2004 .

[18]  S. Duffy,et al.  MEMS microswitches for reconfigurable microwave circuitry , 2001, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[19]  C D Patel,et al.  RF MEMS Metal-Contact Switches With mN-Contact and Restoring Forces and Low Process Sensitivity , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[20]  J. K. Smith,et al.  Micro electro mechanical switch (MEMS) technology applied to electronically scanned arrays for space based radar , 1999, 1999 IEEE Aerospace Conference. Proceedings (Cat. No.99TH8403).

[21]  F. P. Bowden,et al.  The Friction and Lubrication of Solids , 1964 .

[22]  H. Newman,et al.  Lifetime Measurements on a High-Reliability RF-MEMS Contact Switch , 2008, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[23]  Dimitrios Peroulis,et al.  A single-crystal silicon DC-40 GHz RF MEMS switch , 2009, 2009 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[24]  Sangwook Nam,et al.  Hot-Switching Test of Non-Contact Type MEMS Switch , 2007, 2007 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[25]  M. Feng,et al.  Low-actuation voltage RF MEMS shunt switch with cold switching lifetime of seven billion cycles , 2003 .

[26]  Paul G. Slade,et al.  Electrical contacts : principles and applications , 1999 .

[27]  K. Kobe The friction and lubrication of solids , 1951 .

[28]  Júlio Costa,et al.  INTEGRATED MEMS SWITCH TECHNOLOGY ON SOI-CMOS , 2008 .

[29]  A Comparison between RF MEMS Switches and Semiconductor Switches , 2004, 2004 International Conference on MEMS, NANO and Smart Systems (ICMENS'04).

[30]  K. Sarabandi,et al.  Metal foil RF micro-relay with integrated heat sink for high power applications , 2011, 2011 IEEE 24th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[31]  Raafat R. Mansour,et al.  A Comparison between RF MEMS Switches and Semiconductor Switches , 2004 .

[32]  J. Volakis,et al.  Effect of nanoscale heating on electrical transport in RF MEMS switch contacts , 2005, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.