Design and Characterization of a MEMS Varactor

V. S. Nagaraja, N. Suma, and S. L. Pinjare
Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology
发布日期 2011

The tunable capacitor (variable capacitor) is one of the most important and components in filters, Phase shifters, VCO etc. A tunable capacitor can also be built using electro – thermal actuating mechanism. Compared to electro static, tunable capacitors actuated by thermal actuators have several advantages like lower driving voltages. The performance of thermal actuator becomes a key factor for performance of a tunable capacitor can provide larger forces and is also easier to control.

Four thermal actuators are employed to design a varactor (variable capacitor). Structural modeling has been done using COMSOL and the results are presented.