Eng · ·

Microelectromechanical Systems(MEMS) for Frequency Control

MEMS for Frequency Control MEMS for Frequency Control

Micron scale high-Q passive components utilizing microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology have demonstrated Q's of 10,000 at GHz frequencies. As with their transistor close-relatives, MEMS devices are scalable and hold promise for on-chip implementation. These have thus received much interest for realizing low-power high-stability miniaturized clocks amenable for future multiband reconfigurable portable communication applications. Furthermore, the benefits afforded by MEMS technology grow exponentially as discrete devices are mechanically linked, as analogous to integrated circuits, to realize an integrated mechanical circuit for unprecedented capability and functionality in signal and frequency processing. Current research focus is on realizing such an all-mechanical circuit in addition to strategies for stabilizing the temperature dependence of these frequency references.