Material selection of RF-MEMS switch used for reconfigurable antenna using Ashby's methodology

Abstract

This paper reports material selection methodology for radio frequency — micro electro mechanical systems (RF-MEMS) switches used for reconfigurable antennas. As there are variety of materials available to design engineer, a proper technique to select the best possible material is needed. Three primary performance indices, pull-in voltage, RF-loss, and thermal residual stress, are used to obtain the desired performance. The selection chart shows that aluminum is the most suitable material for being used as bridge material in RF-MEMS switches to provide the best performance in reconfigurable antenna.