Low Frequency Test for RF MEMS Switches

Abstract

In order to envision fault-tolerant SiPs and SoCs containing RF MEMS switches, this paper studies easily embedded low frequency tests for capacitive switches. The correlation between high frequency (S parameters) and low frequency (envelope of the high frequency signal) responses of a capacitive RF MEMS switch is analysed. This has been done by modeling both the electromechanical and RF behaviours of the switch and by a statistical simulation of the switch with Monte Carlo method. Next, it has been possible to predict the insertion loss, return loss and isolation of the switch from the low frequency measurements for a broad frequency range. Furthermore, by using the obtained correlations for two different frequencies, it was possible to recreate the S-parameters for the entire frequency spectrum with good agreement.