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Continuously variable W-band phase shifters based on MEMS-actuated conductive fingers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2013

Dimitra Psychogiou ,
Yunjia Li ,
Jan Hesselbarth ,
Dimitrios Peroulis ,
Christofer Hierold  and
Christian Hafner
Dimitra Psychogiou*
Affiliation:
Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Laboratory for Electromagnetic Fields and Microwave Electronics, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Yunjia Li
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Group of Micro and Nanosystems, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Jan Hesselbarth
Affiliation:
Institute of Radio Frequency Technology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
Dimitrios Peroulis
Affiliation:
Birck Nanotechnology Center, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
Christofer Hierold
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Group of Micro and Nanosystems, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Christian Hafner
Affiliation:
Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Laboratory for Electromagnetic Fields and Microwave Electronics, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
*
Corresponding author: D. Psychogiou Email: pdimitra@ifh.ee.ethz.ch
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Abstract

This paper presents four continuously variable W-band phase shifters in terms of design, fabrication, and radiofrequency (RF) characterization. They are based on low-loss ridge waveguide resonators tuned by electrostatically actuated highly conductive rigid fingers with measured variable deflection between 0.3° and 8.25° (at a control voltage of 0–27.5 V). A transmission-type phase shifter based on a tunable highly coupled resonator has been manufactured and measured. It shows a maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 19.5°/dB and a transmission phase variation of 70° at 98.4 GHz. The FOM and the transmission phase shift are increased to 55°/dB and 134°, respectively, by the effective coupling of two tunable resonances at the same device with a single tuning element. The FOM can be further improved for a tunable reflective-type phase shifter, consisting of a transmission-type phase shifter in series with a passive resonator and a waveguide short. Such a reflective-type phase shifter has been built and tested. It shows a maximum FOM of 101°/dB at 107.4 GHz. Here, the maximum phase shift varied between 0° and 377° for fingers deflections between 0.3° and 8.25°.

Keywords

ModelingSimulation and characterizations of devices and circuitsRF-MEMS and MOEMS
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 5 , Issue 4 , August 2013 , pp. 477 - 489
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2013 

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