Contact materials and reliability for high power RF-MEMS switches

This paper presents test and characterization of various thin film contact materials for reliable high power RF- MEMS switches. We selected Au, Pt, Ir, and AuPt alloys for contact materials and fundamentally studied on contact phenomena and reliability of similar or dissimilar contacts using a contact measurement apparatus at high current condition. We also investigated the electrical contact behavior of the MEMS switches. From these studies, Au-to-Pt, Pt-to-Pt and Au-to-Ir contact showed reliable characteristics for the high power RF-MEMS switches.