Broad Bandwidth Components for Advanced Microwave Sensors

Broadband, true time delay phase shifters based on MEMS switches provide the high instantaneous bandwidth desired for applications such as multi-frequency antenna arrays with multiple functions such as radar, communications, and ECM. MEMS based phase shifters offer significant performance advantages compared to technologies using PIN diode or MESFET switches including high linearity that does not limit the dynamic range of the receiver in a crowded signal environment. Furthermore, MEMS phase shifters offer a combination of low RF insertion loss and low switch control power consumption that is unmatched by PIN diode or MESFET technologies, giving the MEMS phase shifters a decided advantage at reducing prime power consumption in airborne or space based systems. Radant MEMS Inc., with its demonstrated 500 billion cycle high lifetime MEMS switch, designed, fabricated and tested a proof-of-concept true time delay, 1-6 GHz, hybrid MEMS phase shifter during the Phase I effort. During Phase II, Radant will finalize the design for an integrated 6-bit, 5 Watt MEMS phase shifter. This design will subsequently be fabricated and tested, resulting in a compact, low cost phase shifter that is hermetically sealed using the same wafer capping process now employed for Radant’s MEMS switches.