Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches

R.W. Herfst; H.G.A. Huizing; P.G. Steeneken; Jurriaan Schmitz

doi:10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290

Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches

R.W. Herfst, H.G.A. Huizing, P.G. Steeneken, Jurriaan Schmitz

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

68 Citations (Scopus)

583 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

RF MEMS capacitive switches show great promise for use in wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, but the successful application of these switches is hindered by reliability concerns: charge injection in the dielectric layer (SiN) can cause irreversible stiction of the moving part of the switch. We present a new way to characterize charge injection. By stressing the dielectric with electric fields on the order of 1 MV/cm, we inject charge in the dielectric, and use a new method to measure the effects it has on the C-V curve. Instead of measuring the change in the pull-in voltage, this method measures the change in the voltage at which the capacitance is minimal. This way, no extra charge is injected during the measurement of the amount of injected charge, which reduces the effect it has on the tested switches, so that the effect of the intentionally induced stress voltage is not obscured by the measurement method.

Original language	Undefined
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures (ICMTS)
Place of Publication	Austin, USA
Publisher	IEEE
Pages	133-136
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Print)	1-4244-0167-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290
Publication status	Published - 6 Mar 2006
Event	19th International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures, ICMTS 2006 - Austin, United States Duration: 6 Mar 2006 → 9 Mar 2006 Conference number: 19 http://www.homepages.ed.ac.uk/ajw/ICMTS/prog06.html

Publication series

Name
Publisher	IEEE
Volume	133-6, 2006

Conference

Conference	19th International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures, ICMTS 2006
Abbreviated title	ICMTS
Country/Territory	United States
City	Austin
Period	6/03/06 → 9/03/06
Internet address	http://www.homepages.ed.ac.uk/ajw/ICMTS/prog06.html

Keywords

SC-CICC: Characterization of IC Components
METIS-231046
EWI-8062
IR-66583

Access to Document

10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290

Cite this

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title = "Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches",

abstract = "RF MEMS capacitive switches show great promise for use in wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, but the successful application of these switches is hindered by reliability concerns: charge injection in the dielectric layer (SiN) can cause irreversible stiction of the moving part of the switch. We present a new way to characterize charge injection. By stressing the dielectric with electric fields on the order of 1 MV/cm, we inject charge in the dielectric, and use a new method to measure the effects it has on the C-V curve. Instead of measuring the change in the pull-in voltage, this method measures the change in the voltage at which the capacitance is minimal. This way, no extra charge is injected during the measurement of the amount of injected charge, which reduces the effect it has on the tested switches, so that the effect of the intentionally induced stress voltage is not obscured by the measurement method.",

keywords = "SC-CICC: Characterization of IC Components, METIS-231046, EWI-8062, IR-66583",

author = "R.W. Herfst and H.G.A. Huizing and P.G. Steeneken and Jurriaan Schmitz",

note = "IEEE Cat. No. 06CH37771; 19th International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures, ICMTS 2006 ; Conference date: 06-03-2006 Through 09-03-2006",

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doi = "10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290",

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publisher = "IEEE",

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Herfst, RW, Huizing, HGA, Steeneken, PG & Schmitz, J 2006, Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches. in Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures (ICMTS)., 10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290, IEEE, Austin, USA, pp. 133-136, 19th International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures, ICMTS 2006, Austin, Texas, United States, 6/03/06. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290

Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches. / Herfst, R.W.; Huizing, H.G.A.; Steeneken, P.G. et al.
Proceedings of the 2006 International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures (ICMTS). Austin, USA: IEEE, 2006. p. 133-136 10.1109/ICMTS.2006.1614290.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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T1 - Characterization of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches

AU - Herfst, R.W.

AU - Huizing, H.G.A.

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AU - Schmitz, Jurriaan

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N2 - RF MEMS capacitive switches show great promise for use in wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, but the successful application of these switches is hindered by reliability concerns: charge injection in the dielectric layer (SiN) can cause irreversible stiction of the moving part of the switch. We present a new way to characterize charge injection. By stressing the dielectric with electric fields on the order of 1 MV/cm, we inject charge in the dielectric, and use a new method to measure the effects it has on the C-V curve. Instead of measuring the change in the pull-in voltage, this method measures the change in the voltage at which the capacitance is minimal. This way, no extra charge is injected during the measurement of the amount of injected charge, which reduces the effect it has on the tested switches, so that the effect of the intentionally induced stress voltage is not obscured by the measurement method.

AB - RF MEMS capacitive switches show great promise for use in wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, but the successful application of these switches is hindered by reliability concerns: charge injection in the dielectric layer (SiN) can cause irreversible stiction of the moving part of the switch. We present a new way to characterize charge injection. By stressing the dielectric with electric fields on the order of 1 MV/cm, we inject charge in the dielectric, and use a new method to measure the effects it has on the C-V curve. Instead of measuring the change in the pull-in voltage, this method measures the change in the voltage at which the capacitance is minimal. This way, no extra charge is injected during the measurement of the amount of injected charge, which reduces the effect it has on the tested switches, so that the effect of the intentionally induced stress voltage is not obscured by the measurement method.

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