Design, simulation and analysis of uniform and non-uniform serpentine step structure RF MEMS switch

This paper presents a novel step structure of RF MEMS switch with and without uniform, non-uniform serpentine meanders, having square perforations which results with a low actuation voltage. Here, design, study, and simulation of the proposed device are evaluated in the FEM tool. By changing the span beam length of the serpentine meanders from results owing to low spring constant and a low pull-in voltage of the device as a specific length of the serpentine meander section increases. By changing the actuating area of the device by using with and with-out meandering techniques such as uniform and non-uniform serpentine type sections are also evaluated. Material optimization for beam and dielectric layer of the device also performed using Ashby’s approach. The actuation voltage is obtained as 1.51 V, the switch with a lower spring constant demonstrates a trade-off with a higher switching speed of 0.2–0.45 µm. The device with a non-uniform single meander result in high isolation is  – 72.4 dB at 27 GHz obtained in downstate of the step structure. The insertion loss of the proposed switch is below  – 0.02 dB, and the return loss received below  – 38.2 dB in the frequency range 1–30 GHz. The capacitance analysis such as up and downstate capacitance as well as the stress analysis are evaluated for the proposed meandered switch.