Fabrication of Reliable RF MEMS Switches in CPW Configuration

This paper describes a new fabrication technique for RF MEMS switches where the coplanar waveguide (CPW) is fabricated in a basin. A planar profile and good coverage at the edges in a basin is achieved by spinning and baking the sacrificial positive photoresist (PPR) in multiple steps to fill the basin. The basin structure allows an increase in the length of the membrane resulting in lower pull-in voltage and better isolation. The PPR is removed using Piranha solution (H2SO4:H2O2::3:1). Structures with the gap of about 2.5 µm and the thickness of the gold membrane varying from 1µm to 2.5 µm have been successfully realized.