Design and experimental analysis of MEMS-based Ku band phase shifter
ISSN: 0305-6120
Article publication date: 30 April 2018
Issue publication date: 16 July 2018
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to design a radio frequency micro-electro-mechanical system (RF MEMS)-based phase shifter using chamfered coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line (t-line) with open-circuit interdigital metal–air–metal (ID MAM) capacitors.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed phase shifter achieves maximum differential phase shift with low loss at Ku band. The phase shifter is built with one switchable fixed-fixed beam (MEMS switch) on chamfered CPW t-line in series with two planar open-circuit ID MAM capacitors. An equivalent circuit model for the proposed phase shifter is derived, and its parameters are extracted using an electromagnetic (EM) solver.
Findings
The MEMS switch is actuated using an electrostatic method with the calculated residual stress of 44.26 MPa. The fabricated phase shifter exhibits low insertion loss, close to 0.14 dB at 17 GHz, with the maximum phase shift of 15.06°. The return loss is greater than 23 dB between 12 and 18 GHz.
Originality/value
This phase shifter presents a promising solution for low loss applications in the Ku band with a maximum phase shift. As the maximum phase shift of 15.06° is achieved for a unit cell with low insertion loss, the phase shifter is found to be feasible for modern electronically tunable phased arrays used for satellite communication and radar systems.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their profound gratitude to professor K. N. Bhat and their research groups at the Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, for their help in device fabrication and characterization using their facilities under Indian Nano User Program (INUP) by Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), Government of India.
Citation
Rajan V., P. and A., P. (2018), "Design and experimental analysis of MEMS-based Ku band phase shifter", Circuit World, Vol. 44 No. 3, pp. 115-124. https://doi.org/10.1108/CW-12-2017-0073
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited