Microrelays for batch transfer integration in RF systems

Abstract

This paper presents the first implementation of batch-transferred microrelays for a broad range of RF applications and substrates. The transferred relays include a variety of electrostatic pull-down type structures, as well as see-saw type structures. The batch-transfer methodology allows integration of optimized MEMS in RF systems on substrates such as sapphire, GaAs, and even CMOS. Gold-to-gold contact series microrelays with insertion loss of <0.15 dB, and isolation better than 36 dB at frequencies from 45 MHz to 40.0 GHz are demonstrated, as well as shunt switches with >40 dB of isolation and <0.12 dB insertion loss in that frequency range. A novel device structure which combines the benefits of see-saw operation and both shunt and series switching was shown to improve isolation of a single switch by /spl sim/8 dB while maintaining low insertion loss.