Integrated Micromechanical Radio Front-Ends

An overview of MEMS technologies capable of realizing the RF front-end frequency gating function needed by true software-defined cognitive radios is presented. Among the technologies described are vibrating disk micromechanical resonators that exhibit record on-chip frequency-Q products; medium-scale integrated micromechanical circuits that implement on/off switchable filter banks; and a process technology that integrates nickel MEMS together with foundry CMOS transistors in a fully monolithic single-chip process.