RF MEMS Advantages | RF MEMS Disadvantages
This page covers advantages and disadvantages of RF MEMS.It mentions RF MEMS advantages and RF MEMS disadvantages. RF MEMS stands for Radio Frequency Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.
MEMS devices are fabricated using Micromachining technique. It has been evolved from semiconductor device fabrication processes. There are two methods of MEMS integration viz. surface micromachining and bulk micromachining.
RF MEMS Advantages
Following are the RF MEMS advantages:
➨MEMS devices house both mechanical and electrical components in micro scale.
➨The MEMS devices are fabricated using IC batch processing methods and
hence smaller sizes are achieved in nm to mm dimensions. Generally they are available in
20 micrometers to 1 millimeter sizes.
➨They provide better performance compare to non MEMS devices.
MEMS device delivers low insertion loss, higher Q and utilizes very low current for operation.
➨It minimizes usage of energy and materials and hence lower the cost.
➨Various RF components such as RF switches, phase shifters, gyroscopes, accelerometers, sensors, oscillators,
filters, RF antennas have been developed using this technology. Out of these,
RF MEMS switches are used in test & measurement
applications due to low switching time, low insertion loss and high isolation
characteristics. Figure depicts RF MEMS switch.
➨RF MEMS devices are widely used across industries including
automotive (to measure tire pressure, fuel pressure,
oil pressure etc.), Biomedical (blood pressure sensor, implanted sensor etc.),
electronics, telecom, defence etc.
➨MEMS devices are used in inkjet and bubblejet printers.
➨It helps in improving re-producibility, sensitivity,
accuracy and reliability.
➨It is easy to alter parts of MEMS device compare to
its macro counterpart.
Refer RF MEMS basics>> for more information.
RF MEMS Disadvantages
Following are the RF MEMS disadvantages:
➨MEMS device can not handle very high power due to its size and
the material used in its construction i.e. Poly-Si.
RF scientists are exploring to develop RF MEMS devices with better
material quality and capacity to withstand high power.
➨Initial establishment requires huge investment.
➨Polysilicon used in the construction is a brittle material.
➨Design process involves complex procedures/processes.
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