Wide band cross point switch using MEMS technology

A multilayer switching assembly for switching high frequency signals using MEMS structures comprising:

• a ceramic substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of insulating layers, said insulating layers separated by a first conductor and a second conductor,
• said first conductor connected to a ground potential, said second conductor separated from said first conductor by one of said insulating layers, said second conductor presenting a specific impedance with respect to said first conductor to said high frequency signals traveling on said second conductor;
• a MEMS structure mounted on said top surface having an input, an output, and a control, said input connected to said second conductor, said output connected to a coplanar waveguide placed on said top surface, said control connected to said bottom surface;
• said input separated from said output and from said control by a third conductor connected to said first conductor, said third conductor traversing one or more of said insulating layers thereby precluding said high frequency signals presented to said input from propagating to said output and to said control.

A multilayer switching assembly for switching a high frequency signal comprising:

• a MEMS structure having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal and a fourth terminal, a first control input, a second control input, a third control input, and a fourth control input wherein said high frequency signal presented to said first terminal can be connected from said first terminal to either said second terminal or said fourth terminal in response to a control signal applied to said first control input and said second control input;
• said MEMS structure mounted on an upper surface of a first insulating layer, a lower surface of said first insulating layer separated from an upper surface of a second insulating layer by a ground conductor connected to ground potential
• a signal layer on a lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• a first descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a signal conductor on said lower surface of said second insulating layer, said first descender also connected to said first terminal;
• said first descender enveloped at a distance by a first conductive shield, said first conductive shield traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said first conductive shield connected to said ground conductor, said distance chosen for a specific impedance to be presented by said first descender to said high frequency signal;
• a second descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a second signal conductor, part of said signal layer, on said lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• said second descender also connected to said fourth terminal;
• said second descender enveloped at a distance by a second conductive shield, said second conductive shield traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said second conductive shield connected to said ground conductor said distance chosen for said specific impedance to be presented by said first descender to said high frequency signal;
• a first coplanar waveguide connected to said second terminal, said coplanar waveguide positioned on said upper surface of said first insulating layer, said first coplanar waveguide presenting said specific impedance to said high frequency signal;
• a second coplanar waveguide connected to said third terminal, said second coplanar waveguide positioned on said upper surface of said first insulating layer, said second coplanar waveguide presenting said specific impedance to said high frequency signal.

A multilayer switching assembly for switching a high frequency signal comprising:

• a first MEMS structure having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, a first control input, a second control input, a third control input, and a fourth control input wherein said high frequency signal presented to said first terminal can be connected from said first terminal to either said second terminal or said fourth terminal in response to a control signal applied to said first control input and said second control input;
• a second MEMS structure having a CPW terminal an output and an input
• said first MEMS structure and said second MEMS structure mounted on an upper surface of a first insulating layer, a lower surface of said first insulating layer separated from an upper surface of a second insulating layer by a ground conductor connected to ground potential;
• a signal conductor layer on a lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• a first descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a signal conductor on said lower surface of said second insulating layer, said first descender also connected to said first terminal;
• said first descender enveloped at a distance by a first conductive shield, said first conductive shield traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said first conductive shield connected to said ground conductor, said distance chosen for a specific impedance to be presented by said first descender to said high frequency signal;
• a second descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a second signal conductor, part of said signal conductor layer on said lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• said second descender also connected to said fourth terminal;
• said second descender enveloped at a distance by a second conductive shield, said second conductive shield traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said second conductive shield connected to said ground conductor, said distance chosen for said specific impedance to be presented by said first descender to said high frequency signal;
• a coplanar waveguide connected to said second terminal of said first MEMS structure and said CPW terminal of said second MEMS structure, said coplanar waveguide positioned on said upper surface of said first insulating layer, said coplanar waveguide presenting said specific impedance to said high frequency signal;
• a terminating resistor positioned on said upper surface, said terminating resistor chosen to match said specific impedance to said high frequency signal, said terminating resistor connected to said output, said input connected to a second signal conductor, said second signal conductor on said lower surface of said second insulating layer.

A multilayer switching assembly for switching a high frequency signal comprising:

• a first MEMS structure having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, a first control input, and a second control input,
• wherein said high frequency signal presented to said first terminal can be connected from said first terminal to either said second terminal or said fourth terminal in response to a control signal applied to said first control input and said second control input;
• said first terminal connected to a first CPW, said first CPW connected to a first high frequency signal pin;
• a second MEMS structure having a CPW terminal, an output, and an input, a third control input and a fourth control input;
• a second CPW connected to said CPW terminal and said second terminal;
• said first MEMS structure, said second MEMS structure, said first CPW and said second CPW mounted on an upper surface of a first insulating layer, a lower surface of said first insulating layer separated from an upper surface of a second insulating layer by a ground conductor connected to ground potential;
• a signal conductor layer on a lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• a first descender connected to said third terminal, said first descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a signal conductor on said lower surface of said second insulating layer, said second conductor a segment of said signal conductor layer, said first descender also connected to said output;
• said signal conductor connected to a second high frequency signal pin;
• said first descender enveloped at a distance by a first conductive shield, said first conductive shield traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, said first conductive shield connected to said ground conductor, said distance chosen for a specific impedance to be presented by said first descender to said high frequency signal;
• a second descender traversing said first insulating layer and said second insulating layer, and connected to a second signal conductor, part of said signal conductor layer on said lower surface of said second insulating layer;
• said second descender also connected to a high frequency fifth terminal on a fourth MEMS;
• a first terminating resistor positioned on said upper surface, said terminating resistor chosen to match said specific impedance to said high frequency signal, said terminating resistor connected to said fourth terminal.

A switching assembly for switching any of 8 incoming high frequency signals to any of 8 outputs comprising:

• 64 MEMS structures, each of said 64 MEMS structures having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal and a fourth terminal, a first control terminal and a second control terminal;
• a multilayer substrate having a square periphery, said square periphery having four equal sides, a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of insulating layers, said insulating layers separated by a first conductor and a second conductor, said first conductor connected to a ground potential, said second conductor separated from said first conductor by one of said insulating layers, said second conductor presenting a specific impedance with respect to said first conductor to said high frequency signals traveling on said second conductor;
• said 64 MEMS structures mounted on said top surface forming a first 8 by 8 array, said array having 8 inputs and 8 outputs, said 8 inputs and said 8 outputs disposed on the periphery of said substrate;
• each of said 64 second terminals and said 64 third terminal connected to a CPW, said 64 CPWs formed on said top surface;
• each of said 64 first terminal and said 64 fourth terminal connected to a descender, said 64 descenders connected to said 64 second conductors;
• each of said 64 first control terminals forming a second 8 by 8 array;
• each of said 64 second control terminals forming a third 8 by 8 array.

A method for building a multilayer switching assembly for switching high frequency signals using MEMS structures comprising the steps of:

• mounting a MEMS structure on a ceramic substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of insulating layers, said insulating layers separated by a first conductor and a second conductor,
• said first conductor connected to a ground potential, said second conductor separated from said first conductor by one of said insulating layers, said second conductor presenting a specific impedance with respect to said first conductor to said high frequency signals traveling on said second conductor;
• said MEMS structure mounted on said top surface, said MEMS having an input, an output, and a control;
• connecting said input to said second conductor;
• connecting said output to a coplanar waveguide placed on said top surface,
• connecting said control to said bottom surface;
• separating said input from said output and from said control by a third conductor connected to said first conductor, said third conductor traversing one or more of said insulating layers thereby precluding said high frequency signals presented to said input from propagating to said output and to said control.