A Compact Radial Divider / Combiner for High Power MEMS Switches

This paper proposes a radial MEMS power divider/combiner. This structure allows equal current distribution between several switches. The radial structure can be used to obtain multiway power divider/combiner with the advantage of broadband, low loss, compact size. The proposed structure is slightly increasing the off-state capacitance of the switch, but decreases strongly the contact resistance. A 4-MEMS switch example has been designed and fabricated. The switch array OFF-state capacitance is increased from 16 fF in theory to 30 fF in measurements, and the ON-state contact resistance is decreased to less than 200 milliohms.