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RF-MEMS: Materials and technology, integration and packaging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Harrie A. C. Tilmans
Harrie A. C. Tilmans*
Affiliation:
IMEC, Division MCP, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Abstract

MEMS technology is rapidly emerging as an enabling technology to yield a new generation of highperformance RF-MEMS passives, like switches, tunable capacitors, high-Q resonators and tunable filters. This paper presents the progress in RF-MEMS device and package development with focus on relevant technology and material issues. The importance of wafer-level or 0-level packaging of the RF-MEMS devices is elucidated. Examples of 1-level packaging, e.g., chip-on-board or plastic molded 1-level package, are briefly described. The paper concludes in stipulating how integration of RF-MEMS passives with other passives (as inductors, LC filters, SAW devices) and active circuitry (RFICs) can lead to so-called “RF-MEMS system-in-a-package (RF-MEMS-SiP)” modules. The evolution of the RF-MEMS-SiP technology is illustrated using IMEC's microwave multi-layer thin film MCM-D technology.

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