MEMS sprung cantilever tunable capacitors and methods

A MEMS tunable capacitor comprising:

• a primary stationary actuator electrode deposited on a substrate;
• a secondary stationary actuator electrode deposited on the substrate;
• a stationary RF signal capacitor plate electrode deposited on the substrate;
• a sprung cantilever suspended over the substrate, the sprung cantilever being separated from the substrate by an air gap, the sprung cantilever comprising:
• a primary movable actuator electrode positioned over the primary stationary actuator electrode;
• a secondary movable actuator electrode positioned over the secondary stationary actuator electrode;
• a RF signal path that is electrically isolated from the primary movable actuator electrode and the secondary movable actuator electrode;
• and
• a movable RF signal capacitor plate in communication with the RF signal path and positioned over the stationary RF signal capacitor plate electrode;
• a beam anchor connecting a first end of the sprung cantilever to the substrate;
• and
• one or more elastic springs or other biasing members connecting a second end of the sprung cantilever to the substrate, the second end being located distally from the first end;
• wherein the sprung cantilever is movable between an OFF state defined by the potential difference between the stationary and moveable actuator electrodes being zero, and an ON state defined by a non-zero potential difference between the stationary and moveable actuator electrodes.

A method of operating a MEMS tunable capacitor comprising:

• disposing a sprung cantilever over a substrate such as by suspension, the sprung cantilever comprising:
• a primary movable actuator electrode positioned over a primary stationary actuator electrode deposited on the substrate;
• a secondary movable actuator electrode positioned over secondary stationary actuator electrode deposited on the substrate;
• a RF signal path that is electrically isolated from the primary movable actuator electrode and the secondary movable actuator electrode;
• and
• a movable RF signal capacitor plate in communication with the RF signal path and positioned over a stationary RF signal capacitor plate electrode deposited on the substrate;
• and
• moving the sprung cantilever between an OFF state that can be defined by the potential difference between the stationary and moveable actuator electrodes being zero and an ON state that can be defined by a non-zero potential difference between the stationary and moveable actuator electrodes.