RFSOI programmable array of capacitors

Tunable capacitors are increasingly important components in today’s state of the art RF front ends. They enable a degree of tuning and configurability that is essential in today’s multiband multimode handsets. SOI technology is the technology of choice due to the combination of the high degree of integration, high performance and low cost. This paper highlights some of the techniques and tradeoffs involved in the design of a programmable array of capacitors (PAC). The performance metrics are highlighted and the implication of over specification on obtainable Q discussed.