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Capacitive and ohmic RF NEMS switches based on vertical carbon nanotubes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2010

A. Ziaei ,
M. Charles ,
M. Le Baillif ,
S. Xavier ,
A. Caillard  and
C.S. Cojocaru
A. Ziaei*
Affiliation:
Thales R&T France, Campus Polytechnique, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
M. Charles
Affiliation:
Thales R&T France, Campus Polytechnique, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
M. Le Baillif
Affiliation:
Thales R&T France, Campus Polytechnique, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
S. Xavier
Affiliation:
Thales R&T France, Campus Polytechnique, 1 Avenue Augustin Fresnel, 91767 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
A. Caillard
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et Couches Minces, UMR 7647 Ecole Polytechnique-CNRS, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
C.S. Cojocaru
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et Couches Minces, UMR 7647 Ecole Polytechnique-CNRS, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France.
*
Corresponding author: Ziaei Afshin Email: afshin.ziaei@thalesgroup.com
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Abstract

The objective is to demonstrate a reproducible carbon nanotube (CNT)-based technology for radio frequency (RF) switch working in the range of 40–60 GHz and fulfilling the specifications: low losses, high isolation, and an operating voltage below 30 V. The first processed component had an operating voltage of 14 V for an ohmic contact in a Nano-Electro Mechanical System (NEMS) tweezer design. This result is confirmed by theory with an operating voltage of 13 V. A capacitive-contact NEMS is also developed using multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) coated with a SiO2 dielectric layer deposited by electron beam induced deposition method (EBID). High Frequency Simulation Software (HFSS) RF-simulation on an innovative NEMS geometry shows encouraging results with transmission ratios between “on” state and “off” state up to 34% for ohmic-contact switch and 25% for a capacitive-contact switch.

Keywords

Nano-electro-mechanicalCarbon nano-tubesMWCNTSwitchNEMSvan der WaalsRadio frequency (RF)
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 2 , Issue 5 , October 2010 , pp. 433 - 440
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2010

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References

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