Low-voltage small-size double-arm MEMS actuator

Date
2009
Advisor
Instructor
Source Title
Electronics Letters
Print ISSN
135194
Electronic ISSN
Publisher
Volume
45
Issue
7
Pages
354 - 356
Language
English
Type
Article
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract

The fabrication and characterisation of a double-arm cantilever-type metallic DC-contact MEMS actuator with low pull-down voltage are reported. Bi-layer TiW cantilevers with an internal stress gradient were fabricated using a microwave-compatible fabrication process. Owing to its small size, cantilever length (L=5-50m) and width (W=2-40m), i.e. ∼10-100 times smaller in lateral dimensions than a standard MEMS actuator, this actuator showed actuation voltages lower than 10 V. RF measurements of the 10m-wide actuators yielded an average insertion loss less than 1dB and isolation higher than 40dB up to 25GHz. The developed actuator is well suited for integration in reconfigurable microwave circuits and systems such as reconfigurable antennas and arrays. © 2009 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Course
Other identifiers
Book Title
Keywords
Acoustic resonators, Antennas, Atomic force microscopy, Fabrication, MEMS, Microactuators, Microwave circuits, Microwave devices, Microwaves, Nanocantilevers, Actuation voltages, Bi layers, Characterisation, Fabrication process, Internal stress, Lateral dimensions, Low voltages, MEMS actuators, Re-configurable, Reconfigurable antennas, RF measurements, Small sizes, Microelectromechanical devices
Citation
Published Version (Please cite this version)