Selectable capacitance circuit

• US 8,340,615 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Floyd, Philip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/692,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 455/256, 455/257, 455/258, 455/262, 455/550.1, 359/578, 361/277
• US Class Current: 455/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A voltage-controlled capacitor and methods for forming the same are described. A mechanical conductor membrane of the voltage-controlled capacitor is movable to and from a first position and a second position. An amount of capacitance can vary with the movement of the mechanical conductor membrane. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) voltage-controlled capacitor can be used in a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, RF switches and RF attenuators.

Claims

1. An RF device, comprising:

a first conductor for carrying an RF signal; and

a deformable membrane spaced apart from the first conductor, the deformable membrane configured to selectively filter the RF signal, the deformable membrane having at least three discrete actuatable positions for selectively filtering the RF signal.

2. The RF device as defined in claim 1, wherein the deformable membrane comprises a unitary membrane.

3. The RF device as defined in claim 1, wherein the deformable membrane comprises two or more separate membranes.

4. An RF device, comprising:

means for carrying an RF signal; and

means for filtering the RF signal, the filtering means being deformable to at least one of three discrete actuatable positions to selectively filter the RF signal.

5. The RF device as defined in claim 4, wherein the carrying means comprises a conductive line.

6. The RF device as defined in claim 5, wherein the filtering means comprises two or more at least partially independently actuatable portions of one or more deformable membranes.

7. The RF device as defined in claim 6, wherein the filtering means is configured such that the at least two actuatable portions are independently actuatable.

8. A method of filtering an RF signal, the method comprising:

carrying the RF signal in a conductive line; and

selectively filtering the RF signal using a deformable membrane having at least three discrete actuatable positions for selectively filtering the RF signal, wherein the deformable membrane is adjacent to the conductive line.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein selectively filtering comprises actuating two or more at least partially independently actuatable portions of one or more deformable membranes.