We describe a programmable capacitor technology under development at NCSU and its potential application in building programmable interconnect devices useful for system level connectivity functions, phased array beam steering, and RF switching. Crossbars are made from arrays of electrostatically controlled bistable MEMS-based capacitors. These new devices allow faster signaling and consume less ...

We propose and demonstrate a wavelengthand time-selective reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) using timefrequency domain processing. The proposed ROADM is realized by allocating wavelength channels and time slots to corresponding 2D spatial channels on a MEMS optical switch. Experimental results show the wavelengthand time-selective drop operation for a signal with equivalent 3....

This paper reviews the state of the art knowledge related to critical failure mechanisms in electrostatic microand nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) which are the dielectric charging and stiction. It describes also the recent employed nanoscale characterization techniques for these phenomena based on Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and force–distance curve measurements. The in...

This article summarizes the most recent technological developments in the realization of integrated aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) for radio frequency (rf) front ends to be employed in next generation wireless communication devices. The AlN-based resonator and switch technologies are presented, their principle of operation explained, and some key exper...

In this paper, we study the behaviour of a microcantilever beam under electrostatic actuation using finite difference method. This problem has a lot of applications in MEMS based devices like accelerometers, switches and others. In this paper, we formulated the problem of a cantilever beam with proof mass at its end and carried out the finite difference solution. we studied the effects of lengt...

We present a comprehensive study on a high reliability RF-MEMS switch with an active thermal recovery capability to counteract stiction. Applying finite element (FE) simulations we investigate the complete recovery process including mechanical, electrical, thermal and fluidic effects. The experimentally calibrated thermo-mechanical FE-model is used to extract key parameters of the recovery proc...

This paper proposes a ramp dual-pulse actuation-voltage waveform that reduces actuation-voltage shift in capacitive microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches. The proposed waveform as well as two reported waveforms (dual pulse, and novel dual-pulse) are analyzed using equivalent-circuit and equation models. Based on the analysis outcome, the paper provides a clear understanding of trapped c...

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In this work, we investigate the charging and reliability of interlayer dielectric materials that are used in the fabrication process of advanced RF-MEMS switches. In particular, the charge stored on the surface of a dielectric and the dynamic of this charge at Nanometric scale are studied. More attention is given to the decay of the deposited charge by a variety of means: (1) surface conductio...