High accuracy MEMS-based varactors
First Claim
1. A system comprising a varactor device, said varactor device comprising:
- a gap closing actuator (GCA) varactor, comprising at least one drive comb structure, at least one output varactor structure defining an output capacitance, at least one reference varactor structure defining a reference capacitance, and at least one movable truss comb structure interdigitating said drive comb, said output varactor, and said reference varactor structures, said truss comb structure configured to move along a motion axis between a plurality of interdigitated positions based on an output bias voltage applied between said truss comb structure and said drive comb structure; and
a feedback circuit electrically coupled to said reference varactor structure, said feedback circuit configured to selectively modify an input bias voltage based on said reference capacitance to produce said output bias voltage that provides a target capacitance at said output varactor structure.
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Abstract
Systems including varactor devices are provided. A varactor device (400) includes a gap closing actuator (GCA) varactor (200), includes a drive comb structure (201), an output varactor structure (514) defining an output capacitance, a reference varactor structure (214) defining a reference capacitance, and a movable truss comb structure (204) interdigitating the drive comb, the output varactor, and the reference varactor structures. The truss comb structure moves along a motion axis (205) between interdigitating positions based on a bias voltage. The device also includes a feedback circuit (404) configured for modifying an input bias voltage based on the reference capacitance to produce the output bias voltage that provides a target capacitance associated with the input bias voltage at the output varactor structure.
37 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising a varactor device, said varactor device comprising:
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a gap closing actuator (GCA) varactor, comprising at least one drive comb structure, at least one output varactor structure defining an output capacitance, at least one reference varactor structure defining a reference capacitance, and at least one movable truss comb structure interdigitating said drive comb, said output varactor, and said reference varactor structures, said truss comb structure configured to move along a motion axis between a plurality of interdigitated positions based on an output bias voltage applied between said truss comb structure and said drive comb structure; and a feedback circuit electrically coupled to said reference varactor structure, said feedback circuit configured to selectively modify an input bias voltage based on said reference capacitance to produce said output bias voltage that provides a target capacitance at said output varactor structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a gap closing actuator (GCA) varactor comprising at least one drive comb structure, at least one output varactor structure defining an output capacitance, at least one reference varactor structure defining a reference capacitance, and at least one movable truss comb structure interdigitating said drive comb, said output varactor, and said reference varactor structures, said truss comb structure configured to move along a motion axis between a plurality of interdigitated positions based on an output bias voltage applied between said truss comb structure and said drive comb structure, the method comprising:
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providing an input bias voltage for said drive comb structure; and modifying said input voltage based on said reference capacitance to produce said output bias voltage that provides a target capacitance at said output varactor structure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification