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This paper presents a novel design of single-pole four-throw (SP4T) RF-MEMS switch employing both capacitive and ohmic switches. It is designed on high-resistivity silicon substrate and has a compact area of 1.06 mm2. The series or ohmic switches have been designed to provide low insertion loss with good ohmic contact. The pull-in voltage for ohmic switches is calculated to be 7.19 V. Shunt or capacitive switches have been used in each port to improve the isolation for higher frequencies. The proposed SP4T switch provides excellent RF performances with isolation better than 70.64 dB and insertion loss less than 0.72 dB for X-band between the input port and each output port.

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This paper presents a novel shunt radio frequency microelectromechanical system switch on a quartz substrate with stiff ribs around the membrane. The buckling effects in the switch membrane and stiction problem are the primary concerns with RF MEMS switches. These effects can be reduced by the proposed design approach due to the stiffness of the ribs around the membrane. A lower mass of the beam and a reduction in the squeeze film damping is achieved due to the slots and holes in the membrane, which further aid in attaining high switching speeds. The proposed switch is optimized to operate in the k-band, which results in a high isolation of -40 dB and low insertion loss of -0.047 dB at 21 GHz, with a low actuation voltage of only 14.6 V needed for the operation the switch. The membrane does not bend with this membrane design approach. Finite element modeling is used to analyze the stress and pull-in voltage.

This paper proposes a novel RF MEMS dc-contact switch with stiff membrane on a quartz substrate. The uniqueness of this work lies in the utilization of a seesaw mechanism to restore the movable part to its rest position. The switching action is done by using separate pull-down and pull-up electrodes, and hence operation of the switch does not rely on the elastic recovery force of the membrane. One of the main problems faced by electrostatically actuated MEMS switches is the high operational voltages, which results from bending of the membrane, due to internal stress gradient. This is resolved by using a stiff and thick membrane. This membrane consists of flexible meanders, for easy movement between the two states. The device operates with an actuation voltage of 6.43 V, an insertion loss of -0.047 dB and isolation of -51.82 dB at 2 GHz.