High-$Q$ Tunable Microwave Cavity Resonators and Filters Using SOI-Based RF MEMS Tuners

This paper presents the modeling, design, fabrication, and measurement of microelectromechanical systems-enabled continuously tunable evanescent-mode electromagnetic cavity resonators and filters with very high unloaded quality factors (Q
_u
). Integrated electrostatically actuated thin diaphragms are used, for the first time, for tuning the frequency of the resonators/filters. An example tunable resonator with 2.6:1 (5.0-1.9 GHz) tuning ratio and Q
_u
of 300-650 is presented. A continuously tunable two-pole filter from 3.04 to 4.71 GHz with 0.7% bandwidth and insertion loss of 3.55-2.38 dB is also shown as a technology demonstrator. Mechanical stability measurements show that the tunable resonators/filters exhibit very low frequency drift (less than 0.5% for 3 h) under constant bias voltage. This paper significantly expands upon previously reported tunable resonators.