RF MEMS switch with integrated impedance matching structure
First Claim
1. An impedance matching structure for a RF MEMS switch having a closeable RF contact in a RF line, the impedance matching structure including only one protuberance or hump to increase the width of a portion of the RF line immediately adjacent the RF contact to greater than the width of a portion of the RF line removed from the RF contact, wherein the width of the RF contact where the RF contact meets the RF line is less than the width of the portion of the RF line removed from the RF contact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An impedance matching structure for a RF MEMS switch having at least one closeable RF contact in an RF line, the impedance matching structure comprising a protuberance in the RF line immediately adjacent the RF contact that forms one element of a capacitor, the other element of which is formed by the switch'"'"'s ground plane.
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Citations
24 Claims
- 1. An impedance matching structure for a RF MEMS switch having a closeable RF contact in a RF line, the impedance matching structure including only one protuberance or hump to increase the width of a portion of the RF line immediately adjacent the RF contact to greater than the width of a portion of the RF line removed from the RF contact, wherein the width of the RF contact where the RF contact meets the RF line is less than the width of the portion of the RF line removed from the RF contact.
- 9. A RF MEMS switch having two RF contacts disposed on a substrate, the substrate having a ground plane, and a RF conductor for coupling RF energy via the two RF contacts and wherein each of the two RF contacts has an associated single protuberance or hump to increase the width of a portion of the RF conductor immediately adjacent thereto to greater than the width of a portion of the RF conductor removed from the RF contacts, wherein the width of the RF contacts where the RF contacts meet the RF conductor is less than the width of the portion of the RF conductor removed from the RF contacts.
- 12. An impedance matching structure for a RF MEMS switch formed on a substrate, the switch having two closeable RF contacts, a first of the two closeable RF contacts being coupled to a first RF line disposed on the substrate and a second one of the two closeable RF contacts being coupled to a second RF line disposed on the substrate, and an elongate moveable bar for closing a circuit between the two closeable RF contacts, the impedance matching structure comprising a single first protuberance disposed on the substrate to increase the width of a portion of the first RF line immediately adjacent the first one of the two closeable RF contacts to greater than the width of a portion of the first RF line removed from the first one of the two closeable RF contacts and a single second protuberance disposed on the substrate to increase the width of a portion of the second RF line immediately adjacent the second one of the two closeable RF contacts to greater than the width of a portion of the second RF line removed from the second one of the two closeable RF contacts, wherein the width of the first of the two closeable RF contacts where the first of the two closeable RF contacts meets the first RF line is less than the width of the portion of the first RF line removed from the first of the two closeable RF contacts and wherein the width of the second one of the two closeable RF contacts where the second one of the two closeable RF contacts meets the second RF line is less than the width of the portion of the second RF line removed from the second one of the two closeable RF contacts.
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19. A method of increasing the return loss of a MEMS switch to a level greater than 20 dB comprising:
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a. providing a MEMS switch arranged on a substrate and whose reactance is inductive; and b. adding at least one capacitor on said substrate, said at least one capacitor having two elements, a first element of said at least one capacitor being formed by a single protuberance formed to increase the width of a portion of a RF line disposed on said substrate immediately adjacent to a RF switch contact on the substrate to greater than the width of a portion of the RF line removed from the RF switch contact, and a second element of said at least one capacitor being provided by a ground plane associated with the MEMS switch, wherein the width of the RF switch contact where the RF switch contact meets the RF line is less than the width of the portion of the RF line removed from the RF switch contact. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An impedance matching structure for a MEMS switch having at least one closeable switch contacting bar, the switch contacting bar when actuated, closing the MEMS switch by making contact with contact pads disposed on a switch substrate, the impedance matching structure including a pair of contact pads, each pad coupled to a signal line having a single protuberance or hump to increase the width of a portion of the signal line adjacent the pad to greater than the width of a portion of the signal line removed from the pad, protuberances or humps forming a π
- -network impedance matching circuit with the switch contacting bar.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
Specification