Radio Frequency Microelectromechanical Systems
Day 0 – January 12, 2011
1) Introduction and course presentation.
a. Basic MEMS papers/chapter to read.
Day 1 – January 24, 2011
2) Introduction: definition, Non RF MEMS. MEMS in automotive accelerometers, gyroscopes, MEMS based biosensors, high density data storage systems, optoelectronics reconfigurable arrays, IR spectrograph for space applications.
3) Topologies, RF MEMS: switches, variable capacitances, micromachined inductors, micro-machined transmission lines, Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators (FBAR), RF micromechanical resonators and filters. Actuation of MEMS: thermal, magneto-static piezoelectric and electrostatic actuation.
Day 2 – January 31, 2011
4) Electromechanical model in static conditions. Spring constant, residual stress, gradient stress, pull-in and release voltage of a clumped-clumped switch, capacitance ratio. Extension to cantilever and circular architectures.
Day 3 – February 7, 2011
5) Electromechanical model in dynamic conditions. Small signal mechanical frequency response. Damping coefficient. Large signal dynamic analysis: switching time, release time, response to single/multiple waveforms. Intermodulation and linearity of MEMS.
Day 4 – February 14, 2011
6) Electromagnetic model: circuit CLR model, hybrid lumped/distributed model. Series resistance and quality factor. S-matrix and ABCD matrix description of common switches configurations.
Day 5 – February 21, 2011
Midterm.
Day 6 – February 28, 2011
7) MEMS switch fabrication and packaging.
Day 7 – March 14, 2011
8) MEMS switch reliability in small signal conditions. Creep, Dielectric charging.
Day 8 – March 21, 2011
9) MEMS switch reliability in large signal condition. Self biasing and thermal heating effect. Self actuation and down-state failure. Thermo-electromechanical model. High RF power handling capability architectures.
Day 9 – March 28, 2011
10) MEMS controlled reconfigurable circuits: N-Pole M-Throws switched networks, MEMS tuned capacitances, analog versus pseudo-digital design. Tunable resonators. Coupled resonators architectures. Reconfigurable filters. MEMS components and subsystems for reconfigurable front-ends. Reconfigurable antennas.
Day 10 – April 4, 2011
11) MEMS phase shifters. Phased antenna arrays. True time delay switched transmission lines, reflection-type phase shifters Digital MEMS Transmission Lines (DMTL) phase shifters, slow-line phase shifters.
Day 11 – April 11, 2011
Midterm 2.
Day 12 – April 18, 2011
12) MEMS for energy harvesting applications. Scavenging energy from environmental sources. Vibration powered micro-generators. Piezoelectric, electromagnetic and electrostatic generators. In-plane out-of-plane generators, Coulomb parametric generators, electret-based generators.
Day 13 – April 25, 2011
Subject to be assigned.
Day 14 – May 4, 2011
Final Project Presentation.