Emerging technologies in Millimeter-wave MEMS devices: From aerospace to biomedical applications

从卫星通信到人类健康，无线革命在我们日常生活的方方面面都很明显。集成化和小型化显然是推动技术突破传统限制的下一步。微机电系统（MEMS）和纳米技术为实现毫米波无线器件提供了更小尺寸、更优性能和更低成本的机会，以满足市场需求。该研究计划致力于推进毫米波MEMS技术的各种目标，从航空航天到生物医学应用。该项目的主要重点是开发一种新的MEMS器件，称为3D单片毫米波MEMS。这个想法是基于MEMS驱动器和微制造波导的单片集成。该概念将用于开发单个设备以及卫星和汽车应用的集成电路和系统。所提出的方法促进了毫米波MEMS器件的新类别，与现有的MEMS器件相比，它提供了卓越的性能和更高的功率处理能力。为了说明所提出的概念的广泛应用范围，开发的3D MEMS基本构建模块将扩展到用于生物医学牙科成像的扫描开关网络。这是用来代替对人体组织有害的x射线成像。本研究也将探讨传统的平面MEMS技术。例如，将实施MEMS开关网络来略微改变天线的电气尺寸并在远场产生相移。这可以用于相控阵天线作为移相源，避免了外部移相器，从而大大降低了成本。

The wireless revolution is evident in every aspect of our daily life, from satellite communications to human health. Integration and miniaturization is an obvious next step which pushes technology limits beyond those of conventional ones. Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and nanotechnology provide the opportunity to realize millimeter-wave wireless devices in much smaller size, superior performance and lower cost to satisfy the market demand. This research plan is dedicated to advancing the millimeter-wave MEMS technology for various targets covering from aerospace to biomedical applications. Primary focus of the project will be on developing a new category of MEMS devices that would be called 3D monolithic millimeter-wave MEMS. The idea is based on monolithic integration of MEMS actuators and micro-fabricated waveguide. The concept will be implemented to develop single device as well as integrated circuits and systems for satellite and automotive applications. The proposed approach promotes a new category of millimeter-wave MEMS devices that offer superior performance with much higher power handling capability compared to the existing MEMS devices. To illustrate the wide application range of the proposed concept, the developed 3D MEMS basic building block will be expanded to a scanning switch network for biomedical dental imaging. This is used to substitute X-ray imaging which is harmful to human body tissue. This research will also investigate on conventional planar MEMS technology. For instance a MEMS switch network will be implemented to change the electrical size of an antenna slightly and generate a phase shift at the far field. This can be used in phased array antenna as a source of phase shifting and avoid external phase shifters which reduces the cost considerately.