Estimation of RF performance from LF measurements: Towards the design for reliability in RF-MEMS

摘要

This paper presents a method which allows the prediction of the RF performance of capacitive RF-MEMS by measuring the UP and DOWN state capacitances. The method is based on the combined use of a very accurate lumped element equivalent circuit model and wafer level measurements of the capacitances in two different states. This approach allows very fast monitoring of the complete RF performance in the entire band, at the cost of a simple (LF) capacitance measurements and an equivalent circuit model extraction. The results presented here demonstrate the efficiency of this technique in tracking or predicting deviation due to manufacturing process dispersions or other device features difficult to account for experimentally.