Micro machined RF switches and methods of operating the same
AssigneeArizona State University
InventorsJun Shen, Meichun Ruan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro-machined radio frequency (RF) switch is described. The micro-machined RF switch includes a substrate, a moveable micro-machined cantilever supported by the substrate, and an actuation mechanism that causes the cantilever to switch between two or more states. In a first state, a conducting layer of the cantilever couples a RF transmission line to a reference signal. In a second state, the conducting layer does not couple the RF transmission line to the reference signal. In further states, the conducting layer can couple one or more additional RF transmission lines to respective reference signals. A portion of the cantilever can flex or be angled to enhance coupling of an RF transmission line to a reference signal.
Claims56
A micro-machined radio frequency (RF) switch, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a moveable micro-machined cantilever supported by said substrate and having a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis, wherein said cantilever has a conducting layer;
- a first permanent magnet producing a first magnetic field, which induces a magnetization in said magnetic material, said magnetization characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along said longitudinal axis of said cantilever, wherein said first magnetic field is approximately perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- an electromagnet producing a second magnetic field to switch said cantilever between a first stable state and a second stable state, wherein a temporary current through said electromagnet produces said second magnetic field such that a component of said second magnetic field parallel to said longitudinal axis changes direction of said magnetization vector thereby causing said movable element to switch between said first stable state and said second stable state;
- wherein in said first stable state, said conducting layer couples a RF transmission line to a reference signal;
- and
- wherein in said second stable state, said conducting layer does not couple the RF transmission line to the reference signal.
A micro-machined radio frequency (RF) switch, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a moveable micro-machined cantilever supported by said substrate and having a conducting layer, wherein said cantilever is switchable to a first state and a second state;
- and
- a gate metal formed on a surface of said substrate proximate to said conducting layer, wherein a voltage applied to said gate metal produces an electrostatic attraction between said gate metal and said conducting layer thereby causing said cantilever to switch to said first stable state;
- wherein in said first state, said conducting layer couples a RF transmission line to a reference signal;
- and
- wherein in said second state, said conducting layer is decoupled from the first RF transmission line.
A method for operating a micro-machined magnetic radio frequency (RF) switch, comprising the steps of:
- (A) supporting a cantilever on a substrate, wherein the cantilever includes a magnetic material and a longitudinal axis;
- (B) producing a first magnetic field with a first permanent magnet, which thereby induces a magnetization in the magnetic material, the magnetization characterized by a magnetization vector pointing in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the cantilever, the first magnetic field being approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- (C) producing a second magnetic field to switch the cantilever between a first stable state and a second stable state, wherein only temporary application of the second magnetic field is required to change direction of the magnetization vector thereby causing the movable element to switch between the first stable state and the second stable state;
- and
- (D) allowing a RF transmission line to couple to a reference signal through a conducting layer of the cantilever when in the first stable state.
A method for operating a micro-machined radio frequency (RF) switch, comprising the steps of:
- (A) supporting a moveable micro-machined cantilever having a conducting layer on a substrate, wherein the cantilever is switchable to a first state and to a second state;
- (B) inducing an electrostatic attraction between a gate metal and the conducting layer to cause the cantilever to switch to the first state, wherein the conducting layer couples an RF transmission line to a reference signal when in the first state;
- and
- (C) allowing the cantilever to switch to the second state when the cantilever is not in the first state, wherein the RF transmission line is not coupled to the reference signal in the second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.