Monolithic variable inductor network using microrelays with combined thermal and electrostatic actuation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-1999

Abstract

An adjustable inductor which is digitally controlled by microrelays has been made using combined surface and bulk micromachining technology. The microrelays were fabricated using a TaSi2/SiO2 bimorph cantilever beam, a gold-to-gold electrical contact, aluminum as sacrificial layer and a combined thermal and electrostatic actuation mechanism. The silicon substrate under the inductor region was etched out to reduce the parasitic oxide capacitors and the eddy current power loss in the substrate semiconductor bulk. Sixteen different inductance values ranging from 2.5 nH to 324.8 nH were obtained using a planar rectangular spiral coil and four microrelays. The minimum self-resonant frequency is 1.9 GHz. The lowest measured combined thermal power and electrostatic voltage for the actuation of microrelays are 8.0 mW and 20 V, respectively. The highest operation frequency of microrelays is 10 kHz limited by the mechanical self-resonance. The measured contact resistance typically ranges from 0.6 ohms to 0.8 ohms. The dimensions of the chip measure 3150 × 930 μm2.

Identifier

0033099111 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/9/1/305

ISSN

09601317

First Page

45

Last Page

50

Issue

1

Volume

9

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS