Two-state reconfigurable miniaturized low-pass filter using micromachined double-contact RF switches

This paper presents a compact micromachined two-state reconfigurable low-pass filter (LPF). Frequency tunability of the proposed LPF could be efficiently and precisely achieved by ON/OFF actuations of two types of single-crystal silicon (SCS) double-contact RF MEMS switches. The use of the SCS double-contact switches as frequency-tuning elements on the reconfigurable filter has two main advantages: the number of the tuning elements required can be reduced by half, and mechanical robustness and reliable filter operations can be provided owing to the deform-free properties and stable actuating behavior of the SCS actuators. The proposed filters and switches were monolithically fabricated using a robust silicon-on-glass (SiOG) process. A frequency tuning ratio of 2.5:1 was successfully obtained and the average insertion losses on the passbands were changed only by 0.05 dB between the two reconfigured filter states.