RF MEMS technology for radar sensors

An overview of applications of radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) technology in radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors is given. RF MEMS components for radars include attenuators, limiters, (true-time-delay) phase shifters, transmit/receive (T/R) switches and tunable matching networks. Radar subsystems which benefit from RF MEMS technology include active electronically scanned arrays (T/R modules), passive electronically scanned arrays (lenses, reflect arrays, subarrays, and switched beamformers), and radomes. Using a bottom-up approach, the figures of merit for RF MEMS technology are related to the figures of merit for radar subsystems. The paper also discusses ultra wideband RF MEMS reflect array and T/R module design as examples. First, electronically scanned array, radar and RF MEMS fundamentals are briefly introduced.