MEMS switches have demonstrated outstanding performance from DC up to 100 GHz compared with their solid-state counterparts. It is of importance to characterize material properties of RF switches after a large number of actuations. A unique challenge for satellite and aircraft condition monitoring is the environment, i.e., operational temperature, which leads to switch profile changes and significant actuation voltage increases. We have performed extensive on-chip mechanical testing to identify the material properties and residual stress field of RF switches using a nanoindenter. Moreover, we have employed coupled-field finite element analysis (FEA) to examine the effect of temperature on actuation voltage. Out-of-plane profile has been identified as an effective means to control the actuation voltage. Our analyses reveal that variations in actuation voltage can be controlled to within 20 Volts for the temperature range -60^oC to 100^oC using corrugated membrane.

Personnel:

• Horacio D. Espinosa (PI)
• Yong Zhu (Graduate Student)

Selected Publications:

• Y. Zhu and H.D. Espinosa, "Effect of Temperature on Capacitive RF MEMS Switch Reliability - A Coupled-Field Analysis," Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 14, No. 8, p. 1270-1279, 2004.

• Y. Zhu and H.D. Espinosa, "Reliability of Capacitive RF MEMS Switches at High and Low Temperatures," International Journal of RF and Microwave Computer-Aided Engineering, Vol. 14, No. 4, p. 317-328, 2004.

• H.D. Espinosa, Y. Zhu, M. Fischer, and J. Hutchinson, "An Experimental/ Computational Approach to Identify Moduli and Residual Stress in MEMS Radio-Frequency Switches," Experimental Mechanics, Vol. 43, No. 3, p. 309-316, 2003.

• Y. Zhu and H.D. Espinosa, "Design of Radio Frequency (RF) MEMS Switches - Modeling," Proceedings of the 2003 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Washington, DC, November, 2003.