SEMINAR REPORT

RF MEMS SWITCH

ABSTRACT
Switches are simple but vital components of all automated systems. Switching provides for an interface between a system and devices with the capability for automatic redirection of signals, enhancing their flexibility and expandability. For example, in test and measurements, switching allows minimization of instruments and hence simplifies the test system. One voltmeter, for instance, can be used to measure voltages at different points on a complex circuit by switching the test points. A very fundamental definition for such a component is: a switch is a device for making or breaking an electric circuit. It is well known that voltages and currents in an electric circuit obey Kirchoffs voltage and current laws. In very simple terms, these laws are: (i) the rise and drops in a voltage around any closed loop must sum to zero; and (ii) the total current flow into any one junction must sum to zero. These laws are to be followed at all states of the system, and during interruptions. This analysis becomes all the more complicated at higher frequencies. A switch in an RF signal path can introduce resistance and capacitance in signal-to-signal and signal-to-ground paths as well as cross-talk. Because of their mechanical operation, switches generally have a limited lifetime and are prone to failure. The finite time to toggle a switch is the limitation in many RF applications. This time ranges from milliseconds to a few hundred nanoseconds, depending on the type of switch. Proper selection of the right RF switch can make the difference between a marginal performance and meeting the intended design goals. Through careful selection of the key parameters, an RF switch can be optimized to achieve the desired values for specific applications.

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DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGG. KURUKSHETRA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT KURUKSHETRA- 136119