Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290

Development of shunt type ohmic RF MEMS

switches actuated by piezoelectric cantilever
Hee-Chul Lee a,b,∗ , Jae-Hyoung Park c , Yong-Hee Park b
aLG-KAIST Nano Center, LG Electronics Institute of Technology, 4F National Nano FAB Center, 53-3 Eoeun-Dong,
Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea
b Micro System Group, Devices and Materials Laboratory, LG Electronics Institute of Technology, 16 Woomyeon-Dong,

Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-724, Republic of Korea

c Department of Physics, Ewha Woman’s University, Jinsunmi Building 335, 11-1 Daehyun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-750, Republic of Korea

Received 3 July 2006; received in revised form 13 October 2006; accepted 21 October 2006
Available online 22 November 2006

Abstract
This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switches actuated by piezoelectricity. Since the
proposed RF MEMS switches are actuated by piezoelectricity, they can be operated at an extremely low operation voltage of 5 V with a negligible
power consumption of less than 0.1 ␮W. The proposed switches are primarily composed of piezoelectric cantilever actuators, a contact electrode
and coplanar wave transmission lines suspended over the substrate. Unlike existing series type switches, the RF signal line of the shunt type ohmic
switches is directly connected from the RF input port to the RF output port without any discontinuity, and their contact electrode is interconnected
to all grounds. In this work, we consider three different types of RF MEMS switches in order to find the best geometry. The RF MEMS switch with
one piezoelectric cantilever (Type-A) shows very poor isolation characteristic although it has better insertion loss than the others. The other two RF
switches, which employ four piezoelectric cantilevers (Type-B and Type-C), differ in terms of the configuration of the cantilevers and the centered
contact electrode. One has a centered contact electrode of square shape (Type-B), while the contact electrode of the other switch has a diamond
shape (Type-C). They show relatively good isolation characteristics even at a very high frequency of 20 GHz, since the use of four piezoelectric
cantilevers can generate a sufficiently large contacting force between the contact electrode and the RF signal line. The two fabricated RF MEMS
switches have isolations of −23.0 and −24.0 dB, respectively, at an operation voltage of 5 V and a frequency of 20 GHz. The power-handling
capability of the proposed RF MEMS switches increases to 1.4 W when an Iridium thin film coating is applied on the gold contact electrode.
© 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: RF MEMS; RF switch; Piezoelectric actuator; Low voltage operation; PZT

1. Introduction superior performance to semiconductor switches, including low

insertion loss in the on state, high isolation in the off state, and
RF MEMS (radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical sys- good linearity at very high operation [1]. Therefore, considerable
tem) switches are considered as attractive future alternatives effort has been directed toward development of RF MEMS
to existing semiconductor switches such as GaAs field-effect switches with good performances, the fruits of which include
transistors (FET) and pin diodes switches since there is strong anticipated commercial production in specific RF applications
demand for passive devices with higher performance in relation [2,3].
to advanced wireless mobile communication systems. As RF Most researchers in this field have focused on electrostatic
MEMS switches make use of mechanical switching, they show actuation type switches since they can be easily fabricated with-
out restraint of material selection [4–11]. However, electrostati-
cally actuated RF MEMS switches are operated at high operation
∗ Corresponding author at: LG-KAIST Nano Center, LG Electronics Institute
voltages of more than tens of volts. Accordingly, they cannot
of Technology, 4F National Nano FAB Center, 53-3 Eoeun-Dong, Yuseong-Gu,
be utilized for mobile handset applications using low operation
Daejeon 305-806, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 42 879 9690. voltages of around a few volts without additional dc–dc converter
E-mail address: [email protected] (H.-C. Lee). chips. If the spring constant of the switch is lowered to obtain low

0924-4247/$ – see front matter © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.sna.2006.10.050
 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290 283

operation voltage, the restoring force of the structure becomes to apply the switching signal of dc voltage to the piezoelectric
weaker and its switching speed becomes slower. Magnetically layer and the bottom electrode is interconnected to a contact
and thermally actuated RF MEMS switches have also been electrode and all grounds in the device. If dc voltage is applied
developed in order to acquire low actuation voltage. However, to the piezoelectric layer, the layer contract in its plane by
these switches require too much power consumption and their piezoelectricity. As a result, deflection of the cantilever occurs
switching speed is too slow for application to mobile communi- by the constraint of the supporting substrate. If the voltage is
cation systems. turned off, the cantilever returns to the original position due to
Piezoelectric actuation is a promising approach to realize the elasticity. Such displacement of the piezoelectric cantilever
ideal RF MEMS switches with a low operation voltage, low leads to variation of the gap between the signal line and the
power consumption, and a high switching speed. However, the contact electrode that is attached on the tip of the piezoelectric
limited studies on piezoelectrically actuated RF MEMS switches cantilever. When the gap is sufficiently separated, the effects of
to date have yielded unsatisfactory results from the standpoint the contact electrode on the RF signal propagation occurring
of practical applications [12–14]. Previously, our group reported in the suspended signal line are negligible. Accordingly, as
on a series type of piezoelectrically actuated ohmic RF MEMS the signal line and two neighboring ground lines have no
switches that showed good RF performances [15,16]. However, discontinuity from the RF input to RF output for coplanar wave
they suffered from a very sharp decrease in isolation with (CPW) propagation of a RF signal in the proposed switch,
operation frequency. One notable alternative switch is the dc- the switch is in the on state. If the gap between the contact
contact shunt switch, which can be designed to have stable electrode and the signal line is closed, RF signal propagation can
isolation values with frequency [17,18]. be interrupted by various elements such as contact resistance,
In the present work, we have proposed, fabricated, and bypass resistance, and inductance to ground through the contact
evaluated three different types of shunt type ohmic RF MEMS electrode and bottom electrode of the piezoelectric cantilever,
switches with piezoelectric actuation in an effort to determine resulting in the switch being in the off state.
the best geometry. Silicon bulk micromachining, surface micro- Fig. 2 shows the equivalent circuit model of shunt type ohmic
machining, and electroplating techniques are utilized to fabricate RF MEMS switches. There are two components in the series
the proposed switches. Also, equivalent circuitry parameters connection from the RF input to RF output. The first component
are fitted and extracted for our proposed switch using ADS is the resistance due to the line loss depending on the CPW line
simulation tool and measurement results. We also discuss the dimension and the resistivity of the signal line and substrate. The
decisive processing parameters to determine the RF performance
of the proposed shunt type ohmic switch.

2. Design and fabrication

Fig. 1 schematically shows the operation of the proposed

shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switch with piezoelectric actuation.
As shown in Fig. 1, the proposed RF MEMS switch is mainly
composed of a piezoelectric cantilever actuator, a contact
electrode, and suspended RF ground–signal–ground (GSG)
lines. The piezoelectric cantilever actuator consists of a top
electrode, a piezoelectric layer, a bottom electrode, and a
supporting substrate. The top electrode is connected to a bias pad

Fig. 1. A schematic diagram of shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switch with Fig. 2. Equivalent circuit model of shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switch: (a) on
piezoelectric actuation. and (b) off states.
284 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290

second is the inductance of the CPW line. A shunt type switch be controlled both by the bending of the piezoelectric cantilever
is placed in the shunt region between the t-line and ground. due to the residual stress of its constituent layers and by the
The switch either leaves the t-line undisturbed or connects it thickness of the sacrificial layer. The components Rp and Lp
to the ground depending on the actuation of the piezoelectric represent the resistance and inductance of the contact electrode
cantilever. The equivalent circuit in the on state is shown in and the bottom electrode of the piezoelectric cantilever that
Fig. 2(a). In this case, the contact electrode is in the downstate connects the t-line to ground. When the cantilever is designed
position and the switch shows insertion loss characteristics to be longer and narrower, Rp and Lp are all increased. A
since no bias is applied to the piezoelectric cantilever. The decrease in the thickness of the bottom electrode increases both
switch can be described as three components. Cp represents the parameters. Fig. 2(b) shows the equivalent circuit in the off
capacitance between the contact electrode and signal line. The state. In this case, the contact electrode of the piezoelectric
component is dependent on the initial distance and the coupled cantilever is in the upstate position, as a result of applying
area between the electrode and signal line. The initial gap can bias to the piezoelectric cantilever. The switch shows isolation

Fig. 3. Fabrication steps of the shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switch with piezoelectric actuation: (a) starting wafer, (b) deposition of each layer for piezoelectric
capacitor, (c) definition of cantilever structure, (d) frontside and backside nitrides patterning and contact electrode patterning, (e) sacrificial layer deposition, probing
pad definition, and Au seed layer deposition (drawn with a cross-section of a–a in Fig. 5(b)), (f) definition of signal and ground lines, (g) electroplating of GSG lines
and removing GSG-defining PR, Au seed, and sacrificial layers, (h) silicon bulk micromachining, (i) removing buried oxide layer, and (j) cantilever releasing.
 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290 285

characteristics by disturbing CPW RF propagation in the t-line. 2500 rpm for 15 s and subsequently dried at 300 ◦ C for 5 min.
The component Rc represents the contact resistance between Spin coating and drying procedures were repeated until the
the contact electrode and signal line. As the gap between the desired thickness of 0.5 ␮m was obtained. The coated films
contact electrode and signal line is closed, the component Cp were then fired for crystallization at 650 ◦ C for 10 min using
disappears and the contact resistance Rc is added in the circuit. Rc rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The PZT films show preferred
is mainly affected by the contact force, contact material, surface orientation of (1 0 0) direction and stoichiometric composition.
contamination, and surface morphology [19,20]. Ruthenium oxide (RuO2 ) was employed as a top electrode
The proposed shunt type ohmic switches were fabricated since PZT capacitors with an oxide electrode has reportedly
on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers coated with low-stress shown good resistance to the fatigue phenomenon of decreased
silicon nitride layers with a thickness of 1.2 ␮m. The used polarization with repeated polarization reversal [22,23]. The
SOI wafers are composed of an active silicon layer with a RuO2 top electrode was fabricated at 300 ◦ C by RF magnetron
thickness of 5 ␮m and a resistivity of 10,000  cm, a 0.8-␮m- reactive sputtering. Following construction of the PZT capacitor
thick buried oxide layer, and a 425-␮m-thick bulk silicon layer. structure, RTA was carried out at 640 ◦ C for 2 min to alleviate the
First, as shown in Fig. 3(b), a Pt bottom electrode, a PZT sputtering damage that occurred at the top interface during the
piezoelectric layer, and a RuO2 top electrode were deposited top electrode deposition. The RuO2 /PZT/Pt capacitor exhibits a
on the starting wafer, respectively. The piezoelectric cantilever piezoelectric constant d31 of 7 × 10−11 C/N.
structures were defined by patterning each layer as shown
in Fig. 3(c). The frontside and backside nitride layers were 3. Results and discussion
subsequently patterned and the Au contact electrode was formed,
as shown in Fig. 3(d). The frontside nitride plays a role in Fig. 4 shows the variation of polarization–voltage (P–V)
the supporting substrates during piezoelectric actuation, while hysteresis curve of the PZT capacitor after completion of all
the backside nitride is employed as a mask for silicon bulk device fabrication steps. The P–V curve changes little and the
micromachining. The Au contact electrode with a thickness of saturation polarization values before and after all fabrication
0.5 ␮m was patterned by a lift-off process and is located at the steps are 43.0 and 41.6 ␮C/cm2 at an applied voltage of 10 V,
symmetrical center of the four piezoelectric cantilevers. Unlike respectively. This shows that the PZT capacitor is not severely
series type switches, the Au contact electrode is connected to degraded during the fabrication process of the proposed PZT
each grounded bottom electrode of the piezoelectric capacitors. switches. The leakage current is approximately 15 nA at an
And, as shown in Fig. 3(e), sacrificial layer deposition and applied voltage of 5 V, the level that will be used as the operation
photolithographic definition for the pads were followed by Au voltage for piezoelectric actuation. Accordingly, the proposed
seed layer deposition. After spin-coating a photo resist (PR, switches consume extremely low power of less than 0.1 ␮W in
AZ4330) as a sacrificial layer, GSG probing and actuation actuating the piezoelectric cantilever.
bias pads were photolithographically defined. The subsequently Fig. 5 shows scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images
deposited Au layer is used as a seed layer for the Au of the fabricated shunt type ohmic contact RF MEMS switches
electroplating process shown in Fig. 3(g). Fig. 3(f) indicates with three different structural geometries. The switch shown in
the definition process of suspended GSG lines upon the Au Fig. 5(a) is comprised of a single piezoelectric cantilever and a
seed layer by the photolithographic method, which consists of
deposition and development of the PR layer. After electroplating
5-␮m-thick Au signal lines, the GSG-defining PR, Au seed,
and sacrificial PR layers were removed, as shown in Fig. 3(g).
Finally, through silicon bulk micromachining using potassium
hydroxide (KOH), wet etching of the buried oxide layer using
fluoric acid (HF), and reactive plasma etching of thin silicon
layer, the four piezoelectric cantilevers could be released as
shown in Fig. 3(h–j). The buried oxide layer in the SOI
wafer is employed as a protective layer during the silicon bulk
micromachining process.
The quality of the piezoelectric capacitor is the most impor-
tant factor with respect to the performances of piezoelectrically
actuated devices. Lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 , PZT) is
selected as a piezoelectric material due to its excellent piezoelec-
tric constant. For the formation of PZT capacitors, platinum (Pt)
is used as a bottom electrode since it has very good thermal
stability and can give rise to the growth of PZT film with
preferred orientation [21,22]. PZT films were fabricated on a
Pt electrode by the sol–gel deposition method. The employed
precursor solution has a Zr/Ti ratio of 53/47 and 10% excess Pb Fig. 4. Variation of P–V hysteresis curves of the PZT capacitor after the
composition. The PZT solution was spun onto the substrate at completion of device fabrication steps.
286 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290

square contact electrode attached to its edge with three hinges

(hereafter called Type-A). That shown in Fig. 5(b) contains four
piezoelectric cantilevers that are symmetrically combined with
hinges to support a centered square contact electrode (hereafter
Type-B). These two RF MEMS switches utilize the same type
of cantilever with a length of 150 ␮m and a width of 60 ␮m,
but the number and the configuration of the utilized cantilevers
are different. The switch shown in Fig. 5(c) is composed of
four cantilevers and a centered contact electrode. It employs a
contact electrode with a diamond shape contrasting with that of
the Type-B (hereafter Type-C). In the Type-C switch, the hinges
connecting the cantilevers to the contact electrode are arrayed
along two diagonal lines of the centered contact electrode. In
comparison with the Type-B switch, Type-C switch can make
use of longer cantilevers of 180 ␮m in an identical area. All
hinges used in the proposed switches have a width of 6 ␮m and

Fig. 5. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the fabricated RF

MEMS switches: (a) Type-A, (b) Type-B, and (c) Type-C switches.

Fig. 6. (a) Insertion loss and (b) isolation characteristics of the shunt type ohmic
RF MEMS switches with three different structural geometries.
 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290 287

a length of 20 ␮m. The RF signal and two side ground lines for asperity contacting model of micron-scale MEMS switches [24]:
CPW RF signal propagation are suspended over the piezoelectric
4ρle ρle
capacitor. They are properly arranged so as not to touch the R= 2
+ν 2 (1)
piezoelectric cantilevers during the switching actuation. The 3πr 2π
total area of the fabricated RF MEMS switches including the where r, le , and ν are the radius of the contact spot, the mean
bias pads is approximately 0.85 mm2 . free path length of an electron, and a slowly varying function
All RF measurements have been performed on a wafer of the ratio le /r, respectively. The contact resistance is inversely
without any de-embedding. Fig. 6(a) shows the insertion loss correlated to the contact force, as the radius of the contact spot
characteristics of the three fabricated switches shown in Fig. 5. In is proportional to the force on the asperity. The Type-A switch is
the low frequency regime of less than 1 GHz, the insertion losses expected to have the lowest contact force, since it employs only
of all switches are insignificant, but they exhibit a tendency to one piezoelectric cantilever. Although the Type-B and Type-
gradually increase with increased frequency. The Type-A switch C switches both have four piezoelectric cantilevers, the Type-C
has an insertion loss of −1.0 dB at a frequency of 20 GHz, switch is anticipated to have the strongest contact force as a result
while the Type-B and Type-C switches show insertion losses of having the longest length of piezoelectric cantilevers. This
of approximately −1.3 dB, respectively, at the same frequency. indicates that the use of four symmetric piezoelectric cantilevers
The difference in the insertion loss is tentatively attributed can generate a sufficiently large contacting force, so as to yield
to the different configurations of the constituent piezoelectric good isolation characteristics in the shunt type ohmic contact
cantilevers. As the piezoelectric cantilevers contain a grounded switches.
bottom electrode, they can serve as leakage paths of the RF signal
by means of capacitive coupling between the RF signal line and
ground. Therefore, as the Type-B and Type-C switches have two
piezoelectric cantilevers adjacent to the RF signal transmission
line, higher insertion loss occurs.
Fig. 6(b) shows the isolation characteristics of the three types
of switches. The fabricated switches show isolation character-
istics at an extremely low voltage of 5 V. The Type-A switch
shows very low isolation characteristics of less than −15 dB over
the entire frequency regime. However, the Type-B and Type-C
switches have relatively good isolation characteristics of −23 dB
and −24 dB, respectively, at a frequency of 20 GHz. The values
are better than that of previously reported series type RF MEMS
switches at the same frequency. The difference in isolation
characteristics among the three switches may be due to the
difference in the contact force and the resultant contact resistance
between the signal line and contact electrode. Contact resistance
can be represented by the following equation based on the

Fig. 7. Equivalent circuit diagram and simulated component values of the Fig. 8. Comparison of simulated and measured RF performances of the Type-C
Type-C switch. switch: (a) insertion loss and (b) isolation characteristics.
288 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290

Fig. 9. Effects of (a) Rc , (b) Rp , and (c) Lp on the isolation characteristics of the shunt type ohmic RF MEMS switches with piezoelectric actuation.

Fig. 7 shows the equivalent circuit diagram and simulated by the following compact equations [25]:
component values of the Type-C switch, which shows the 2(Rs + jωLp )||Zo ∼ 2(Rs + jωLp )
best isolation characteristics. Since, the switch contains four S21 = = (2)
(Rs + jωLp )||Zo + Zo Zo + Rs + jωLp
symmetric piezoelectric capacitors, four pairs of Rp and Lp are
connected to the ground in the diagram. The component Cp in where Rs is the total sum of the contact resistance and the bypass
the on state is determined to be 6.2 fF using Maxwell 3D, a resistance.
3D electrostatic program. Three components Rc , Rp , and Lp, Fig. 9 shows the simulated results of the effects of each
are thereupon extracted based on the measurement results and component on the overall isolation characteristics of the switch.
using the ADS simulation tool. The determined values are 2.5 , Since the isolation of the proposed switch is mainly dominated
2.5 , and 0.015 nH, respectively. by the resistance terms, as shown in Fig. 9, our switch
Simulation and measurement results of the switch are com- corresponds to the case ␻Lp  Rs and the square of the isolation
pared in Fig. 8. The simulated insertion loss curve does not cor- can be approximately expressed by (2Rs /Zo )2 . Accordingly, in
respond well with that measured in the switch, especially in the order to improve the isolation characteristics of the proposed
high frequency regime. In the simulation results, only capacitive switch, it is necessary to decrease the Rc ; for example, via a
coupling between the signal line and the contact electrode has dimple pattern, use of a novel structure to improve contact force,
been considered. Therefore, the differences between simulated clean surfaces, etc.
and measured values may be attributed to the capacitive coupling To evaluate the linearity and the power handling capability
by the piezoelectric cantilevers including a grounded bottom of the proposed RF MEMS switches, the power signal at the
electrode. This is supported by the finding that the Type-A switch output port was measured with increasing input power signal.
with one cantilever has better insertion loss characteristics than These data were collected at the on state immediately after
the others with four cantilevers, as shown in Fig. 6(a). The five repetitive operations of the switch. Corresponding power
simulated isolation curve is in relatively good agreement with was continuously transferred to the input port during the above
the measured curve, as shown in Fig. 8(b). processes. The input and output power values are linearly
In the Rs –Lp circuit model in shunt with the t-line, the correlated, as shown in Fig. 10. Power handling capability of
isolation in the off state of the dc contact switch can be expressed 0.5 W was obtained using the Au contact electrode and Au signal
 H.-C. Lee et al. / Sensors and Actuators A 136 (2007) 282–290 289

integrated RF MEMS switches are promising for application

in the front-end-module (FEM) of mobile/wireless handsets
operating at multi-band and multi-mode, switched filter banks,
and smart antenna systems due to their low operation voltage,
wide available frequency range, good performances, excellent
linearity, and compatible fabrication sequences with existing
silicon processes.

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and

Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Energy under the
21st Frontier Intelligent Microsystem Project.

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by plasma chemical vapor deposition on Ir-based electrodes, J. Vac. Sci. and millimeter-wave MEMS devices.
Technol. A 20 (2002) 1939–1947. Yong-Hee Park was born in Incheon, Korea. He received the B.S. and M.S.
[24] S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, G.G. Adams, P.M. Zavracky, R.H. Morrison, degrees from Korea University, Seoul, Korea in 1992 and 1995, and Ph.D. degree
J. Krim, Study of contacts in an electrostatically actuated microswitch, from Arizona State University, Tempe in 2005, all in electrical engineering,
Sens. Actuat. A 93 (2001) 19–26. respectively. In 2005, he joined LG Electronic Institute of Technology, Seoul,
[25] G.M. Rebeiz, RF MEMS: Theory, Design and Technology, John Wiley & Korea. His current research interests include RF MEMS devices and its
Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2003, p. 106. application to mobile handsets with special regard to multi-band/multi-mode
operation.
Biographies

Hee-Chul Lee was born in 1973. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees
in electrical material science and engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute