RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications
RF-MEMS, i.e., Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, exhibit interesting characteristics for the upcoming 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, in which reconfigurable broadband and frequency-agile devices, like high-order switching units, tunable...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-05-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/9/2612 |
| _version_ | 1797568931683106816 |
|---|---|
| author | Jacopo Iannacci Giuseppe Resta Alvise Bagolini Flavio Giacomozzi Elena Bochkova Evgeny Savin Roman Kirtaev Alexey Tsarkov Massimo Donelli |
| author_facet | Jacopo Iannacci Giuseppe Resta Alvise Bagolini Flavio Giacomozzi Elena Bochkova Evgeny Savin Roman Kirtaev Alexey Tsarkov Massimo Donelli |
| author_sort | Jacopo Iannacci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | RF-MEMS, i.e., Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, exhibit interesting characteristics for the upcoming 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, in which reconfigurable broadband and frequency-agile devices, like high-order switching units, tunable filters, multi-state attenuators, and phase shifters will be necessary to enable mm-Wave services, small cells, and advanced beamforming. In particular, satellite communication systems providing high-speed Internet connectivity utilize the K and Ka bands, which offer larger bandwidth compared to lower frequencies. This paper focuses on two design concepts of multi-state phase shifter designed and manufactured in RF-MEMS technology. The networks feature 4 switchable stages (16 states) and are developed for the K and Ka bands. The proposed phase shifters are realized in a surface micromachining RF-MEMS technology and the experimentally measured parameters are compared with Finite Element Method (FEM) multi-physical electromechanical and RF simulations. The simulated phase shifts at both the operating bands fit well the measured value, despite the measured losses (S21) are larger than 5–7 dB if compared to simulations. However, such a non-ideality has a technological motivation that is explained in the paper and that will be fixed in the manufacturing of future devices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:03:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d819adcb3fae425497b1be6e392e5556 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:03:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-d819adcb3fae425497b1be6e392e55562023-11-19T23:26:18ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202020-05-01209261210.3390/s20092612RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) ApplicationsJacopo Iannacci0Giuseppe Resta1Alvise Bagolini2Flavio Giacomozzi3Elena Bochkova4Evgeny Savin5Roman Kirtaev6Alexey Tsarkov7Massimo Donelli8Center for Materials and Microsystems (CMM), Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive, 18-38123 Trento, ItalyCenter for Materials and Microsystems (CMM), Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive, 18-38123 Trento, ItalyCenter for Materials and Microsystems (CMM), Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive, 18-38123 Trento, ItalyCenter for Materials and Microsystems (CMM), Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Via Sommarive, 18-38123 Trento, ItalyBazovye Tekhnologii, LLC, 125124 Moscow, RussiaBazovye Tekhnologii, LLC, 125124 Moscow, RussiaBazovye Tekhnologii, LLC, 125124 Moscow, RussiaBazovye Tekhnologii, LLC, 125124 Moscow, RussiaDepartment of Information Engineering and Computer Science, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, ItalyRF-MEMS, i.e., Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, exhibit interesting characteristics for the upcoming 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, in which reconfigurable broadband and frequency-agile devices, like high-order switching units, tunable filters, multi-state attenuators, and phase shifters will be necessary to enable mm-Wave services, small cells, and advanced beamforming. In particular, satellite communication systems providing high-speed Internet connectivity utilize the K and Ka bands, which offer larger bandwidth compared to lower frequencies. This paper focuses on two design concepts of multi-state phase shifter designed and manufactured in RF-MEMS technology. The networks feature 4 switchable stages (16 states) and are developed for the K and Ka bands. The proposed phase shifters are realized in a surface micromachining RF-MEMS technology and the experimentally measured parameters are compared with Finite Element Method (FEM) multi-physical electromechanical and RF simulations. The simulated phase shifts at both the operating bands fit well the measured value, despite the measured losses (S21) are larger than 5–7 dB if compared to simulations. However, such a non-ideality has a technological motivation that is explained in the paper and that will be fixed in the manufacturing of future devices.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/9/2612RF-MEMSMEMSRF passivesphase shiftersmulti-state passive networks5G |
| spellingShingle | Jacopo Iannacci Giuseppe Resta Alvise Bagolini Flavio Giacomozzi Elena Bochkova Evgeny Savin Roman Kirtaev Alexey Tsarkov Massimo Donelli RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications Sensors RF-MEMS MEMS RF passives phase shifters multi-state passive networks 5G |
| title | RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications |
| title_full | RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications |
| title_fullStr | RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications |
| title_short | RF-MEMS Monolithic K and Ka Band Multi-State Phase Shifters as Building Blocks for 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) Applications |
| title_sort | rf mems monolithic k and ka band multi state phase shifters as building blocks for 5g and internet of things iot applications |
| topic | RF-MEMS MEMS RF passives phase shifters multi-state passive networks 5G |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/9/2612 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jacopoiannacci rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT giusepperesta rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT alvisebagolini rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT flaviogiacomozzi rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT elenabochkova rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT evgenysavin rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT romankirtaev rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT alexeytsarkov rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications AT massimodonelli rfmemsmonolithickandkabandmultistatephaseshiftersasbuildingblocksfor5gandinternetofthingsiotapplications |