Low-voltage U-shaped RF MEMS shunt switch integration for K-band phased array beam steering

Area of Science:

• Radio Frequency (RF) Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)
• Antenna Engineering
• Phased Array Technology

Background:

• Phased array antennas require efficient beam steering for applications like 6G and satellite communications.
• Existing solutions often face challenges with high actuation voltages and signal loss.
• Radio Frequency Microelectromechanical Systems (RF MEMS) offer potential for low-loss, high-performance RF components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and integrate a low-voltage U-shaped meander RF MEMS shunt switch into a K-band phased array antenna.
• To achieve agile and efficient beam steering with minimal signal degradation.
• To validate the performance for high-frequency front-end modules.

Main Methods:

• Design of a U-shaped meander RF MEMS shunt switch.
• Integration of the switch into a distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) phase shifter network.
• System-level integration with a four-element series-fed patch array antenna.

Main Results:

• The RF MEMS switch achieved a low pull-in voltage of 5.3 V.
• Excellent RF performance with return loss better than -30 dB and insertion loss of 0.45 dB across 18-27 GHz.
• The integrated phased array demonstrated a beam steering range of ±30° with low side-lobe levels and high radiation efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The proposed MEMS-integrated phased array offers industry-leading low actuation voltage and minimal RF loss.
• The system enables discrete and reconfigurable phase states for dynamic beam control.
• It is a strong candidate for future 6G and satellite front-end modules.