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Microsystem Technologies

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30-12-2015 | Technical Paper

Cycling reliability of RF-MEMS switches with Gold–Platinum multilayers as contact material

Authors: Viviana Mulloni, Benno Margesin, Paola Farinelli, Romolo Marcelli, Andrea Lucibello, Giorgio De Angelis

Published in: Microsystem Technologies | Issue 9/2017

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Abstract

Contact resistance is the main parameter used for assessing the high cycling reliability of RF microelectromechanical (RF-MEMS) switches. In this paper the use of a modified contact material is tested and compared to pure gold in cycling experiments performed on a RF-MEMS switch in shunt capacitive configuration. The modified contact material is a gold-based multilayer with a thin layer of platinum sandwiched between two layers of gold. The experiment consists in comparing devices with the same layout but with different contact material. While the two types of switch start with similar RF performances, the device with the modified material shows a marked improvement in cycling reliability and a lower series resistance up to 10⁶ cycles when compared to gold contact devices.

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Title: Cycling reliability of RF-MEMS switches with Gold–Platinum multilayers as contact material
Authors: Viviana Mulloni
Benno Margesin
Paola Farinelli
Romolo Marcelli
Andrea Lucibello
Giorgio De Angelis
Publication date: 30-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Microsystem Technologies / Issue 9/2017
Print ISSN: 0946-7076
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1858
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-015-2782-2

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