A novel micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial microswitch with a flexible contact-enhanced structure to extend the contact duration has been proposed in the present work. In order to investigate the stiffness k of the stationary electrodes, the stationary electrodes with different shapes, thickness h, width b, and length l were designed, analyzed, and simulated using ANSYS software. ...

This paper reports on numerical modeling and simulation of a generalized contact-type MEMS device having large potential in various micro-sensor/actuator applications, which are currently limited because of detrimental effects of the contact bounce phenomenon that is still not fully explained and requires comprehensive treatment. The proposed 2-D finite element model encompasses cantilever micr...

A scheme for designing reconfigurable parallel-coupled-line bandpass filters using a SPDT MEMS switch, capable of operating at two different passband is presented. The spurious resonance of the filter has been removed by using defected ground structures to obtain better stopband performance. A proto-type filter with passband center frequency around 3.5 GHz and 5.0 GHz has been designed. The sim...

RF-MEMS switches contain movable fragile parts. A specific packaging approach is required for reasons of protection during fabrication as well as during operation. We present in this paper a 0-level packaging process using a photopatternable polymer BenzoCycloButene and its performances measured up to 110 GHz.

During this project the research focused on the following topics: a) the development of a MEMS reconfigurable Sierpinski antenna on LCP substrate; b) the development of a low cost localized packaging technique for RF MEMS switches integrated on a multilayer organic substrate (this is extremely important for the switch reliability that will be required in the reconfigurable antenna system); c) t...

This paper describes the design and analysis of a particular micro-electromechanical-system (MEMS) micromirror device that can be used for an optical switching application. Analytical expressions for electrostatic torque and restoring torque of serpentine springs are derived. The performance of the proposed structure is compared with the existing structures having straight torsional beams. The ...

The reliability of MEMS based systems might be increased by the use of a Physics of Failure (PoF) methodology. This methodology necessitates the development of corresponding models that can be used for reliability evaluation. The model development is based on a good knowledge of effects of environmental influences on the MEMS. For the reliability evaluation of MEMS based systems the used models...

Reliability is a key parameter for the eventual prevalence of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) as either sub-components or as standalone products. Traditionally, micromachined components have been made by separating the micromachined chip design and fabrication processes from the packaging and reliability issues. This “evolutionary” partitioning of microsystems has led to long incubation t...

Surface micromachining is characterized by the fabrication of micromechanical structures from deposited thin films. Originally employed for integrated circuits, films composed of materials such as low-pressure chemical-vapor-deposition polycrystalline silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxides can be sequentially deposited and selectively removed to build or “machine” three-dimensional stru...