SBIR Phase I: High-Power RF MEMS Switch

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段研究项目旨在展示一种新型射频微机电系统（RF MEMS）开关，能够处理高功率RF/微波信号。通信系统在许多方面使用交换机，例如信号路由和系统可重构性，因此，交换机必须是非侵入性的。这意味着它们存在的唯一提示应该是在通过状态下可忽略的插入损耗，以及在阻塞状态下可忽略的传输，而不管正在处理的信号功率电平如何。虽然当前RF MEMS开关的性能几乎是理想的，但这主要是在相对低功率的信号电平（例如，sub-Watt），其中不存在破坏其性能的不期望的效应，例如由高功率信号引起的自致动和热致变形。因此，需要RF MEMS开关，即使在处理高功率信号时也可以保持该技术所实现的高水平性能。本研究的主要目的有三：1）设计一种新型的高功率RF MEMS开关; 2）展示其低成本可制造性; 3）展示其高功率性能。该研究将解决与开关架构相关的关键技术挑战，以最大限度地提高其开关寿命和功率处理能力。这项研究的成功成果将为高端系统提供新的功能，如航空航天和国防系统、无线基础设施和仪器仪表。拟议的研究计划和产品开发工作将促进多物理计算建模，材料表征和薄膜热传输机制的研究。这将促进学生之间的跨学科研究和教育。此外，参与商业产品开发过程将增加他们的教育经验的一个额外层面。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project aims at demonstrating a novel radio frequency Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (RF MEMS) switch capable of handling high-power RF/microwave signals. Communication systems exploit switches in many ways, such as signal routing and system reconfigurability, thus, it is imperative that switches be noninvasive. This means that the only hint of their presence should be negligible insertion loss in the passing state, and negligible transmission in the blocking state, regardless of the signal power level being processed. While the performance of current RF MEMS switches is almost ideal, this has been mostly demonstrated at relatively low-power signal levels (e.g., sub-Watt), where undesirable effects that ruin their performance, such as self-actuation and heat-induced deformation, which are occasioned by high power signals, are absent. There is a need, therefore, for RF MEMS switches that can maintain the high levels of performance enabled by this technology even when handling high-power signals. The proposed research has three primary objectives: 1) to design a novel high-power RF MEMS switch; 2) to demonstrate its low-cost manufacturability; and 3) to demonstrate its high-power performance. The research will address key technical challenges related to switch architecture to maximize its switching life and power handling capability. The successful outcome of this research will enable new capabilities in high-end systems, such as aerospace and defense systems, wireless infrastructure, and instrumentation. The proposed research program and product development efforts will foster multi-physics computational modeling, materials characterization and investigation of thermal transport mechanisms in thin films. This will promote interdisciplinary research and education among students. Moreover, participation in a commercial product development process will add an additional dimension to their educational experience.