Microwave and mechanical considerations in the design of MEM switches for aerospace applications

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) technology is expected to have tremendous impact on aerospace systems. Indeed, phased array antennas, frequency multiplexers, spacecraft GN&C, on-board communications, autonomous health monitoring and safety, space structures, thermal control, and on-board system reconfigurability will favorably and decisively impacted MEMS technology. One of the most fundamental and ubiquitous components in these functions, enabled by MEMS technology, will be the electrostatic microelectromechanical (MEM) switch. The MEM switch, due to its simplicity and high performance potential, is poised to become the pioneering MEMS component, particularly, for microwave signal processing-related applications in space-based communications systems. This paper will discuss the impact of microwave performance specifications of the MEM switch on its mechanical structure and design. In particular, quantitative discussion of switch parameters including actuation voltage, actuation frequency, loss, and isolation will be presented.