Tunable millimeter-wave filters using a coplanar waveguide and micromachined variable capacitors

In this paper, new micromachined tunable bandpass filters for multi-band millimeter-wave telecommunication systems are proposed. Two types of millimeter-wave tunable filters have been fabricated using micromachining technology and the responses of the filters have been measured: one type is a two-pole lumped element filter and the other a two-pole resonator filter. The frequency tunability of the filter has been achieved by changing the gap between a common coplanar waveguide ground plate and a movable cantilever beam connected to the transmission line with a controllable range of 2.5 µm. The deflection of the cantilever beam has been measured with applied dc voltage. With the applied bias voltage from 0 to 50 V, the fabricated filters have shown center frequency shifts of 0.6 GHz (2.3%) at 26.6 GHz and 0.8 GHz (2.5%) at 32 GHz for the lumped element and resonator filters, respectively. The mechanical lifetime of the fabricated gold cantilever structure has been tested by observing the existence of the spring memory phenomenon; there is no memory phenomenon or breakdown until a repeated actuation of 1.6 × 10 8 cycles.