Abstract

Research on MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical systems) has seen an amazing growth during the last 15 years, stimulated both by their interesting physical properties and their attractive application potential. One of those appealing MEMS applications are Radio Frequency (RF) switches. These devices have some outstanding advantages like low insertion loss, high isolation and linearity, but they suer from some drawbacks like low switching speed and lack of reliability. In the near future for many applications, like mobile phones and communication systems, reliable switches with higher commutation speed are expected. This thesis is focused on the study of the dynamic behavior of the RF switches with the aim to nd suitable ways to develop switch geometries with faster switching characteristic. The study considers process related aspects, theoretical calculations, numerical simulations and dynamic measurements. In addition other devices that are useful for the design of the complex RF circuits and that are characterized by a complex dynamic behavior like in plane forces are studied.