MicroElectroMechanical Systems Based Electronically Steerable Antenna

The performance benefits to satellite communication and other systems employing an Electronically Steerable Antenna are numerous. These include rapid beam scanning, increased beam agility, the performance of multiple functions, lighter weight, no angular momentum impact during beam scan and increased reliability. These improvements are typically obtained at the expense of large increases in overall RF insertion loss and cost when conventional MMIC phase shifters are employed. Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) phase shifters have been recently demonstrated that show significant reductions in insertion loss, size, and cost as compared to conventional GaAs and PIN diode phase shifters. The goal of this Phase I SBIR program is to develop a low loss, low-cost and high reliability MEMS phase shifter based on the proven Radant ohmic MEMS RF switch. Two leading organizations, Radant MEMS with its demonstrated high lifetime MEMS switch and Professor Rebeiz's (University of Michigan) group of distinguished RF MEMS designers, will team to design a MEMS phase shifter that achieves low insertion loss, long lifetime, small size, light weight, low cost and consumes less prime power than currently available phase shifters.