A DUAL-GAP TUNABLE RF MEMS CAPACITOR FOR REFLECTARRAY APPLICATIONS
G. LISSORGUES, F. FLOURENS, A. PHOMMAHAXAY, F. MARTY, L. ROUSSEAU, C. PAPON, P. NICOLE, T. DOUSSET

Abstract. This paper will focus on the design, fabrication and first characterizations of a dual-gap tunable RF MEMS capacitor which can be operated in phaseshifting units composing a passive Reflectarray studied in the European project RETINA (FP6 # 516121) in the Kuband. Specifications linked to this application being very stringent, an important work has been done to optimize the design and fabrication process to reach very small capacitance values in the range of 100 fF and below.