Fabrication of a push-pull type electrostatic comb-drive RF MEMS switch

This paper presents a novel push-pull type electrostatic comb-drive RF MEMS switch for ground wireless communication applications. Two drive groups are used to accomplish the push-pull action at one step. The fabrication of the proposed switch is based on the widely-used silicon on glass (SiOG) process. And monocrystalline silicon is used as the structural material for all moving parts. All these features make the switch be simpler to control, easier to process and more reliable, comparing with the traditional push-pull type ones. In addition, substrate removal and high inductance DC bias line are used to reduce insertion loss. Measured isolation and insertion loss are −61.4dB and −0.07dB at 0.9GHz and −38.4dB and −0.28dB at 6GHz.