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RF-MEMS Solutions for Advanced Passive Components

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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 14953

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jacopo Iannacci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Trento, Italy
Interests: MEMS; RF-MEMS; RF passives; microsytem technologies; modelling; simulation; packging; integration; testing for reliability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After about two decades of investigation and research, RF-MEMS technology recently started catching up with the market. This took place because, if on one side the technology advanced in terms of reliability, packaging and integration, on the other hand consistent market needs are emerging.

Given such a market-pull scenario, full of increasing and challenging demands boosted by the 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) paradigms, RF-MEMS technology seems to be closer than ever to its consistent placement and penetration into mass-market scenarios. Exploitations are envisaged both in mobile handsets and in the telecommunication infrastructure. RF-MEMS are also expected to strengthen their presence in performance-driven applications, like in space and defence, smart industry, Automated Test Equipment (ATE), and so on.

The scope of this special issue is that of framing the current state of research, development and innovation of RF-MEMS in the era of 5G, IoT, Tactile Internet, space/defence and industrial applications.

The special issue welcomes contributions focused on design, simulation, modelling, fabrication and technology, testing for reliability, packaging, integration, engineering and technology transfer of innovative high-performance RF-MEMS devices (e.g. switches and variable capacitors) and complex networks (e.g. impedance tuners, phase shifters, programmable attenuators, tunable filters, etc.) for 5G and modern telecommunication systems.

Dr. Jacopo Iannacci
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

RF-MEMS
RF passives
5G
Internet of Things (IoT)
Tactile Internet
Micro-switches
Variable capacitors (varactors)
Inductors
Programmable phase shifters
Programmable step attenuators
Switching units
High-order switching matrices
Impedance matching tuners
Tunable filters
Miniaturised antennas
Multiphysics simulations
Mixed-domain modelling
Testing for reliability
Packaging (wafer-level; 0-level; 1-level)
Integration
Wideband operability
Wide tunability
Multi-state reconfigurability
Low-loss
High-isolation
High quality factor (Q-factor)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 6512 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dominant Loss Mechanisms of Whispering Gallery Mode RF-MEMS Resonators with Wide Frequency Coverage

by Zeji Chen, Qianqian Jia, Wenli Liu, Quan Yuan, Yinfang Zhu, Jinling Yang and Fuhua Yang

Sensors 2020, 20(24), 7017; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20247017 - 08 Dec 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2357

Abstract

This work investigates the dominant energy dissipations of the multi-frequency whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators to provide an insight into the loss mechanisms of the devices. An extensive theory for each loss source was established and experimentally testified. The squeezed film damping (SFD) is a major loss for all the WGMs at atmosphere, which is distinguished from traditional bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators where the high-order modes suffer less from the air damping. In vacuum, the SFD is negligible, and the frequency-dependent Akhiezer damping (AKE) has significant effects on different order modes. For low-order WGMs, the AKE is limited, and the anchor loss behaves as the dominant loss. For high-order modes with an extended nodal region, the anchor loss is reduced, and the AKE determines the Q values. Substantial Q enhancements over four times and an excellent f × Q product up to 6.36 × 10¹³ at 7 K were achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue RF-MEMS Solutions for Advanced Passive Components)

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13 pages, 5957 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications

by Jacopo Iannacci, Giuseppe Resta, Alvise Bagolini, Flavio Giacomozzi, Elena Bochkova, Evgeny Savin, Roman Kirtaev, Alexey Tsarkov and Massimo Donelli

Sensors 2020, 20(9), 2612; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20092612 - 03 May 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3579

Abstract

RF-MEMS, i.e., Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, exhibit interesting characteristics for the upcoming 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, in which reconfigurable broadband and frequency-agile devices, like high-order switching units, tunable filters, multi-state attenuators, and phase shifters will be necessary to enable mm-Wave services, small cells, and advanced beamforming. In particular, satellite communication systems providing high-speed Internet connectivity utilize the K and Ka bands, which offer larger bandwidth compared to lower frequencies. This paper focuses on two design concepts of multi-state phase shifter designed and manufactured in RF-MEMS technology. The networks feature 4 switchable stages (16 states) and are developed for the K and Ka bands. The proposed phase shifters are realized in a surface micromachining RF-MEMS technology and the experimentally measured parameters are compared with Finite Element Method (FEM) multi-physical electromechanical and RF simulations. The simulated phase shifts at both the operating bands fit well the measured value, despite the measured losses (S21) are larger than 5–7 dB if compared to simulations. However, such a non-ideality has a technological motivation that is explained in the paper and that will be fixed in the manufacturing of future devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue RF-MEMS Solutions for Advanced Passive Components)

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12 pages, 1226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thin Film Encapsulation for RF MEMS in 5G and Modern Telecommunication Systems

by Anna Persano, Fabio Quaranta, Antonietta Taurino, Pietro Aleardo Siciliano and Jacopo Iannacci

Sensors 2020, 20(7), 2133; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20072133 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4616

Abstract

In this work, SiN_x/a-Si/SiN_x caps on conductive coplanar waveguides (CPWs) are proposed for thin film encapsulation of radio-frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS), in view of the application of these devices in fifth generation (5G) and modern telecommunication systems. Simplification and cost reduction of the fabrication process were obtained, using two etching processes in the same barrel chamber to create a matrix of holes through the capping layer and to remove the sacrificial layer under the cap. Encapsulating layers with etch holes of different size and density were fabricated to evaluate the removal of the sacrificial layer as a function of the percentage of the cap perforated area. Barrel etching process parameters also varied. Finally, a full three-dimensional finite element method-based simulation model was developed to predict the impact of fabricated thin film encapsulating caps on RF performance of CPWs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue RF-MEMS Solutions for Advanced Passive Components)

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Other

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9 pages, 2970 KiB

Open AccessLetter

A Laterally Vibrating Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonator Array Operating at 500 °C in Air

by Savannah R. Eisner, Cailin A. Chapin, Ruochen Lu, Yansong Yang, Songbin Gong and Debbie G. Senesky

Sensors 2021, 21(1), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21010149 - 29 Dec 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3358

Abstract

This paper reports the high-temperature characteristics of a laterally vibrating piezoelectric lithium niobate (LiNbO₃; LN) MEMS resonator array up to 500 °C in air. After a high-temperature burn-in treatment, device quality factor (Q) was enhanced to 508 and the resonance shifted to a lower frequency and remained stable up to 500 °C. During subsequent in situ high-temperature testing, the resonant frequencies of two coupled shear horizontal (SH0) modes in the array were 87.36 MHz and 87.21 MHz at 25 °C and 84.56 MHz and 84.39 MHz at 500 °C, correspondingly, representing a −3% shift in frequency over the temperature range. Upon cooling to room temperature, the resonant frequency returned to 87.36 MHz, demonstrating the recoverability of device performance. The first- and second-order temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) were found to be −95.27 ppm/°C and 57.5 ppb/°C² for resonant mode A, and −95.43 ppm/°C and 55.8 ppb/°C² for resonant mode B, respectively. The temperature-dependent quality factor and electromechanical coupling coefficient (k_t²) were extracted and are reported. Device Q decreased to 334 and total k_t² increased to 12.40% after high-temperature exposure. This work supports the use of piezoelectric LN as a material platform for harsh environment radio-frequency (RF) resonant sensors (e.g., temperature and infrared) incorporated with high coupling acoustic readout. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue RF-MEMS Solutions for Advanced Passive Components)

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