Development of mems technology based microwave and millimeter-wave components

Download
2010
Çetintepe, Çağrı
This thesis presents development of microwave lumped elements for a specific surface-micromachining based technology, a self-contained mechanical characterization of fixed-fixed type beams and realization of a shunt, capacitive-contact RF MEMS switch for millimeter-wave applications. Interdigital capacitor, planar spiral inductor and microstrip patch lumped elements developed in this thesis are tailored for a surface-micromachining technology incorporating a single metallization layer, which allows an easy and low-cost fabrication process while permitting mass production. Utilizing these elements, a bandpass filter is fabricated monolithically with success, which exhibits a measured in-band return loss better than -20 dB and insertion loss of 1.2 dB, a pass-band located in S-band and a stop-band extending up to 20 GHz. Analytical derivations for deflection profile and spring constant of fixed-fixed beams are derived for constant distributed loads while taking axial effects into account. Having built experience with the mechanical domain, next, Finite Difference solution schemes are established for pre-pull-in and post-pull-in electrostatic actuation problems. Using the developed numerical tools; pull-in, release and zipping phenomena are investigated. In particular, semi-empirical expressions are developed for the pull-in voltage with associated errors not exceeding 3.7 % of FEA (Finite Element Analysis) results for typical configurations. The shunt, capacitive-contact RF MEMS switch is designed in electromagnetic and mechanical domains for Ka-band operation. Switches fabricated in the first process run could not meet the design specifications. After identifying sources of relevant discrepancies, a design modification is attempted and re-fabricated devices are operated successfully. In particular, measured OFF-state return and insertion losses better than -16.4 dB and 0.27 dB are attained in 1-40 GHz. By applying a 20-25V actuation, ON-state resonances are tuned precisely to 35 GHz with an optimum isolation level of 39 dB.

Suggestions

Novel impedance tuner, phase shifter, and vector modulators using rf mems technology
Ünlü, Mehmet; Demir, Şimşek; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2009)
This thesis presents the theory, design, fabrication, and measurement results of novel reconfigurable impedance tuner, phase shifter, and vector modulators using the RF MEMS technology. The presented circuits are based on triple stub topology, and it is shown both theoretically and experimentally in this thesis that it is possible to control the insertion phase and amplitude of the input signal simultaneously using this topology. The presented circuits are implemented using an in-house, surface micromachini...
High performance readout and control electronics for mems gyroscopes
Şahin, Emre; Akın, Tayfun; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2009)
This thesis reports the development of various high performance readout and control electronics for implementing angular rate sensing systems using MEMS gyroscopes developed at METU. First, three systems with open loop sensing mechanisms are implemented, where each system has a different drive-mode automatic gain controlled (AGC) self-oscillation loop approach, including (i) square wave driving signal with DC off-set named as OLS_SquD, (ii) sinusoidal driving signal with DC off-set named as OLS_SineD, and i...
Tunable frequency microstrip antennas by rf-mems technology
Erdil, Emre; Aydın Çivi, Hatice Özlem; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2005)
This thesis presents the design, fabrication, and measurement of tunable frequency microstrip antennas using RF MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) technology. The integration of RF MEMS components with radiators enable to implement tunable systems due to the adjustable characteristics of RF MEMS components. In the frame of this thesis, different types of structures have been investigated and designed. The first structure consists of a microstrip patch antenna which is loaded with a microstrip stub whose ...
Hybrid connection of RF MEMS and SMT components in an impedance tuner
Unlu, Mehmet; Topalli, Kagan; Atasoy, Halil Ibrahim; Demir, Şimşek; Aydın Çivi, Hatice Özlem; Akın, Tayfun (Elsevier BV, 2010-01-01)
This paper presents a systematic construction of a model for a hybrid connected RF MEMS and SMT components in a reconfigurable impedance tuner. The double stub hybrid impedance tuner which employs a high number of MEMS switches is selected to demonstrate the feasibility of the connections. In the hybrid tuner, MEMS switches are actuated with DC bias signals, where SMT resistors de-couple RF from the DC lines. The hybrid tuner is realized in two steps, where the MEMS impedance tuner is fabricated on a glass ...
Modelling and noise analysis of closed-loop capacitive sigma-delta mems accelerometer
Boğa, Biter; Külah, Haluk; Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2009)
This thesis presents a detailed SIMULINK model for a conventional capacitive Σ-Δ accelerometer system consisting of a MEMS accelerometer, closed-loop readout electronics, and signal processing units (e.g. decimation filters). By using this model, it is possible to estimate the performance of the full accelerometer system including individual noise components, operation range, open loop sensitivity, scale factor, etc. The developed model has been verified through test results using a capacitive MEMS accelero...
Citation Formats
Ç. Çetintepe, “Development of mems technology based microwave and millimeter-wave components,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2010.