Cryogenic RF MEMS Switch with Electronic Calibration Capability

Cryogenic RF MEMS Switch with Electronic Calibration Capability

Authors: Lafe F. Spietz¹, Chris Giovanniello², Brandon Takaki², Wei Ye³, Beverly Boiko⁴, Christian J. Long¹, Nathan E. Flowers-Jacobs¹, Adam J. Sirois¹, Peter F. Hopkins¹, Samuel P. Benz¹, Dylan Williams¹ (Life Fellow, IEEE)
¹National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305, USA
²Menlo Microsystems, Inc., Irvine, CA 92618-3768, USA
³ETLinx Systems, LLC, Chelmsford, MA 01824, USA
⁴FormFactor, Boulder, CO 80301, USA

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: D. Williams (e-mail: [email protected]).

ABSTRACT

We characterize a radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical-systems single-pole-sixthrow switch designed for cryogenic operation to 10 GHz from room temperature to milliKelvin temperatures. The switch contains an internal electronic calibration capability suitable for performing multiport vector and large-signal network analysis at room temperature and cryogenic temperatures.

We demonstrate two calibration types, the first designed for measuring the scattering parameters of microwave devices connectorized with 3.5 mm coaxial connectors and the second for measuring the scattering parameters of microwave devices connectorized with Sub-Miniature version A (SMA) connectors.

INDEX TERMS

Cryogenic measurement, electronic calibration, micro-electro-mechanical-systems, radio frequency, vector network analysis.

I. INTRODUCTION

We describe the characterization and calibration of a coaxial radio-frequency (RF) micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) single-pole-six-throw (SP6T) switch to 10 GHz and from room temperature to milliKelvin temperatures.¹ We also calibrate and test an internal electronic calibration capability integrated into the switch that greatly simplifies calibrating vector network analyzers (VNAs) at the switch’s output ports, especially at cryogenic temperatures.

Finally, we develop two calibration types for the switch, the first designed for measuring the scattering parameters of devices under test (DUTs) connectorized with 3.5 mm coaxial connectors and the second for measuring the scattering parameters of DUTs connectorized with Sub-Miniature version A (SMA) connectors.

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***Disclaimer: This paper is currently under going review with IEEE Journal of Microwaves. Contents will up updated upon full publication.