Finite Ground Coplanar Waveguide Shunt MEMS Switches for Switched Line Phase Shifters

Switches with low insertion loss and high isolation are required for switched line phase shifters and for transmit/receive switches at the front end of communication systems. The design, fabrication, and characteristics of a Finite Ground Coplanar (FGC) waveguide capacitive shunt MEMS switch implemented on high resistivity Silicon is presented. The switch has a measured insertion loss and return loss of less than 0.35 dB and greater than 11 dB respectively, over the frequency range of 3 to 50 GHz. The measured isolation is greater than 18 dB at 50 GHz.