Contact materials and reliability for high power RF-MEMS switches

Abstract

This paper presents test and characterization of various thin film contact materials for reliable high power RFMEMS switches. We selected Au, Pt, Ir, and AuPt alloys for contact materials and fundamentally studied on contact phenomena and reliability of similar or dissimilar contacts using a contact measurement apparatus at high current condition. We also investigated the electrical contact behavior of the MEMS switches. From these studies, Au-to-Pt, Pt-to-Pt and Au-to-Ir contact showed reliable characteristics for the high power RF-MEMS switches. ©2007 IEEE.