Radio-frequency microelectromechanical system

For bio-MEMS, see bio-MEMS. For MEMS accelerometers, see accelerometer. For MEMS displays, see interferometric modulator display. For MEMS gyroscopes, see gyroscope. For MEMS microphones, see microphone. For MEMS pressure sensors, see accelerometer. For MOEMS, see microoptoelectromechanical systems.
Fig. 1: (a) A capacitive fixed-fixed beam RF MEMS switch, connected in shunt to a CPW line. (b) An ohmic cantilever RF MEMS switch, connected in series to a microstrip line.

A radio-frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) is a microelectromechanical system with electronic components comprising moving sub-millimeter-sized parts that provide radio-frequency (RF) functionality.[1] RF functionality can be implemented using a variety of RF technologies. Besides RF MEMS technology, III-V compound semiconductor (GaAs, GaN, InP, InSb), ferrite, ferroelectric, silicon-based semiconductor (RF CMOS, SiC and SiGe), and vacuum tube technology are available to the RF designer. Each of the RF technologies offers a distinct trade-off between cost, frequency, gain, large-scale integration, lifetime, linearity, noise figure, packaging, power handling, power consumption, reliability, ruggedness, size, supply voltage, switching time and weight.

  1. ^ Lucyszyn, S. (2004). "Review of radio frequency microelectromechanical systems technology". IEE Proceedings - Science, Measurement and Technology. 151 (2): 93–103. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.535.8466. doi:10.1049/ip-smt:20040405. ISSN 1350-2344.