Variable device circuit and method for manufacturing the same

• US 7,894,205 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Soda, Shinnosuke, Miyazaki, Moriyasu, Inoue, Hiromoto, Yoshida, Yukihisa, Nishino, Tamotsu, Lee, Sangseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi; Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOA CAO
• Application Number:
  US12/052,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20080247115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 361/760, 361/793, 361/795, 361/799, 361/800, 361/803, 361/807, 361/811, 3612991-2995, 3612982-2985, 361/821, 361/268, 361/189, 361/190, 361/632, 361/643, 361781-784, 361/301.1, 361/738, 361/763, 361/766, 361277-278, 438612-614, 298/52, 298/40, 298/47, 298/46, 298/30
• US Class Current: 361/782
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/16 using variation of distance between electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 5/40 Structural combinations of variable capacitors with other electric elements not covered by this subclass, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/016 Thin-film circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/13 combined with thin-film or thick-film passive components
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2001/0064 comprising semiconductor material
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2007/008 the MEMS being trimmable
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0115 comprising only inductors and capacitors H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/175 Series LC in series path H03H7/1783 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

There is provided a variable device circuit according to the present invention, including: a substrate; at least one movable switch device formed on a first principal surface of the substrate; at least one fixed capacitor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate; at least one variable capacitor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate; at least one variable inductor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate; and wiring lines for electrically connecting the devices to one another, the wiring lines being formed on the first principal surface of the substrate; wherein electrical connections among the devices can be selected by operation of the movable switch device, whereby achieving stable, low-loss circuit characteristics with lower manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. A variable device circuit comprising:

a substrate;

at least one movable switch device formed on a first principal surface of the substrate;

at least one fixed capacitor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate;

at least one variable capacitor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate;

at least one variable inductor device formed on the first principal surface of the substrate; and

wiring lines for electrically connecting the devices to one another, the wiring lines being formed on the first principal surface of the substrate;

wherein electrical connections among the devices can be selected by operation of the movable switch device.

2. The variable device circuit according to claim 1, wherein the fixed capacitor device includes a lower electrode on the substrate side, an upper electrode opposite to the lower electrode, a dielectric layer and an air layer, both of which are interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, and

the air layer is thicker than the dielectric layer.

3. The variable device circuit according to claim 1, wherein the movable switch device, the variable capacitor device and the variable inductor device include a lower electrode on the substrate side, an upper electrode opposite to the lower electrode, and an air layer which is interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, and

a dielectric layer is formed on the lower electrode.

4. The variable device circuit according to claim 1, wherein a lower electrode of each device is formed of a first metal layer having a higher resistance and a second metal layer having a lower resistance, and

a bias line for driving the device is formed of the first metal layer and a dielectric layer covering the first metal layer.

5. The variable device circuit according to claim 1, wherein air layers, each interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode of each device, are substantially equal in thickness to one another.

6. The variable device circuit according to claim 1, wherein a coplanar transmission line including a signal line and ground lines located on both sides of the signal line is provided on the first principal surface of the substrate, and

at least one of the movable switch device, the fixed capacitor device, the variable capacitor device and the variable inductor device is inserted in the signal line.

7. The variable device circuit according to claim 6, wherein a bias line for driving the device intersects the ground line with an interposed air layer.

8. The variable device circuit according to claim 6, wherein a second ground line, which is provided for electrically connecting the ground lines located on both sides of the signal line to each other, intersects the signal line with an interposed air layer.

9. The variable device circuit according to claim 7, wherein both an air layer interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode of each device and the air layer interposed between the bias line and the ground line have substantially the same thickness.

10. The variable device circuit according to claim 8, wherein both an air layer interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode of each device and the air layer interposed between the second ground line and the signal line have substantially the same thickness.

11. A method for manufacturing a variable device circuit, including steps of:

forming a first conductive layer with a predetermined pattern on a first principal surface of a substrate;

forming a dielectric layer with a predetermined pattern on the first principal surface of the substrate and the first conductive layer;

forming a sacrificial layer with a predetermined pattern, which is thicker than the dielectric layer, on the first principal surface of the substrate, the first conductive layer and the dielectric layer;

forming a second conductive layer with a predetermined pattern on the first principal surface of the substrate, the first conductive layer, the dielectric layer and the sacrificial layer; and

forming an air layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer by removing the sacrificial layer;

wherein at least two out of a movable switch device, a fixed capacitor device, a variable capacitor device and a variable inductor device are formed concurrently.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first conductive layer includes a first metal layer having a higher resistance and a second metal layer having a lower resistance, and

the method further including a step of forming a bias line for driving the device by removing the second metal layer of the first conductive layer which is formed in a predetermined pattern, followed by covering the first metal layer with a dielectric layer.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first conductive layer constitutes a lower electrode for at least two devices formed concurrently, and the second conductive layer constitutes an upper electrode of at least two devices formed concurrently.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein air layers interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode of at least two devices formed concurrently have substantially the same thickness.

15. The method according to claim 11, further including a step of forming a coplanar transmission line, which includes a signal line and ground lines located on both sides of the signal line, by using the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein at least two devices formed concurrently are inserted in the signal line.

17. The method according to claim 15, further including a step of forming the ground line so as to intersect a bias line for driving the device with an interposed air layer which is obtained by removal of the sacrificial layer.

18. The method according to claim 15, further including steps of:

forming a second ground line for electrically connecting the ground lines located on both sides of the signal line to each other; and

forming the signal line so as to intersect second ground line with an interposed air layer which is obtained by removal of the sacrificial layer.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein both an air layer interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode of each device and the air layer interposed between the bias line and the ground line have substantially the same thickness.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein both an air layer interposed between a lower electrode and an upper electrode of each device and the air layer interposed between the second ground line and the signal line have substantially the same thickness.