RF burn-in of dielectric-charging characteristics of micro-electromechanical capacitive switches

Abstract

We report, for the first time, the benefit of RF burn-in at power levels significantly higher than the nominal handling capacity of micro-electromechanical capacitive switches. The benefit appears to be permanent, so that, after burn-in, the switches remain less vulnerable to dielectric charging and, presumably, more reliable. It was speculated that high RF power permanently changed the bond configuration of the silicon-dioxide dielectric, which prevented charge injection under DC bias. Obviously, more detailed study is needed to elucidate the detailed burn-in mechanism. However, this initial result is very encouraging and can facilitate the application of these switches in many RF systems.