1. Design and fabrication of a continuously tuned capacitor by microfluidic actuation
- Author
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Ali Boukabache, Nizar Habbachi, Hatem Boussetta, Kamel Besbes, Patrick Pons, Mohamed Adel Kallala, Université de Monastir - University of Monastir (UM), Équipe Micro-Nanofluidique pour les sciences de la vie et de l’environnement (LAAS-MILE), Laboratoire d'analyse et d'architecture des systèmes (LAAS), Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J)-Université Toulouse 1 Capitole (UT1), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - Toulouse (INSA Toulouse), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J)-Université Toulouse 1 Capitole (UT1), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Équipe MIcro et Nanosystèmes pour les Communications sans fil (LAAS-MINC), Université Toulouse Capitole (UT Capitole), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - Toulouse (INSA Toulouse), Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université Toulouse Capitole (UT Capitole), and Université de Toulouse (UT)
- Subjects
Permittivity ,Materials science ,Fabrication ,CPW ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,7. Clean energy ,Capacitance ,law.invention ,law ,Electric field ,0103 physical sciences ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Tunable capacitor ,[SPI.NANO]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Micro and nanotechnologies/Microelectronics ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,Electroplating ,010302 applied physics ,Microelectromechanical systems ,Capacitive coupling ,business.industry ,Mechanical Engineering ,RF characterization ,020206 networking & telecommunications ,RF MEMS ,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials ,Capacitor ,Fluidic actuation ,Mechanics of Materials ,Optoelectronics ,business - Abstract
International audience; This paper presents the design and the fabrication of a continuously tunable RF MEMS capacitor using micro fluidics as a tuning parameter. The impedance variation principle is based on the modification of the capacitor gap permittivity produced by the presence of deionized water and its displacements in a channel inserted between electrodes. In addition, the electric field distribution changes in equiponderant way according to the DI water positions in the channel. This change modifies the capacitive coupling, the stored energy and consequently the self-resonant frequency. The fabrication process is based on two parts: metallic paths having a spiral form, and obtained by electroplating a 7 µm thick gold layer to constitute electrodes; and fluidic channels, realized by super imposing two SU-8 films. The measurements show a non-linear variation of the capacitor value according to the water positions. The tuning range is very large, reaching up to 4650% for the capacitance, and 335% for the resonant frequency. However, the quality factor reaches Qmax = 79 at 550 MHz if the capacitor is empty and decreases with the fluid displacements to Qmin = 3.13.
- Published
- 2018
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