RF testing of MEMS components

The authors discuss some of the testing issues associated with the RF characterization of MEMS components. More specifically, they present testing methods and experimental results for two RF MEMS components-an RF switch and a tunable capacitor. RF measurements including insertion loss, electrical isolation, linearity, and vibration sensitivity are among the MEMS characteristics to be presented, as are the electromechanical measurements including response time, actuation characteristics, and contact wear.