Micro-electrical-mechanical device and method of making same

A micro-electro-mechanical variable capacitor comprising:

• a first substrate;
• a first contact disposed on a first surface of said substrate;
• a piezoelectric actuator disposed over said first surface of said substrate;
• a second contact coupled to said actuator and disposed in proximity to said first contact;
• and
• a dielectric material disposed between said substrate and said actuator for limiting movement of said first contact relative to said second contact.

A phase shifter comprising:

• first and second variable capacitors, said first capacitor being connected between an input terminal and a source of ground potential, each capacitor including:
• a first substrate;
• a first contact disposed on a first surface of said substrate;
• a piezoelectric actuator disposed over said first surface of said substrate;
• a second contact coupled to said actuator and disposed in proximity to said first contact;
• and
• a dielectric material disposed between said substrate and said actuator for limiting movement of said first contact relative to said second contact and
• a transmission line connected between said input terminal and a first terminal of said second capacitor, a second terminal of said second capacitor being connected to said source of ground potential.

A bandpass filter comprising:

• plural parallel coupled transmission lines and
• plural variable capacitors, each transmission line being coupled between a source of ground potential and a first terminal of a respective variable capacitor, a second terminal of each variable capacitor being coupled to said source of ground potential, each of said variable capacitors-including:
• a first substrate;
• a first contact disposed on a first surface of said substrate;
• a piezoelectric actuator disposed over said first surface of said substrate;
• a second contact coupled to said actuator and disposed in proximity to said first contact;
• and
• a dielectric material disposed between said substrate and said actuator for limiting movement of said first contact relative to said second contact.

A method for fabricating a micro electro-mechanical device including the steps of:

• providing a first substrate;
• providing a first contact on a first surface of said substrate;
• providing a piezoelectric actuator over said first surface of said substrate;
• coupling a second contact coupled to said actuator in proximity to said first contact;
• and
• disposing gap control means between said substrate and said actuator to limit movement of said first contact relative to said second contact.