A 1.3–2.4-GHz 3.1-mW VCO Using Electro-Thermo.pdfVIP

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 63, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2015 459 A 1.3–2.4-GHz 3.1-mW VCO Using Electro-Thermo- Mechanically Tunable Self-Assembled MEMS Inductor on HR Substrate Anirban Bhattacharya, Student Member, IEEE, Debashis Mandal, Member, IEEE, and Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya, Member, IEEE Abstract— This paper reports implementation and wafer-level On-chip inductors normally exhibit a low factor, mainly due testing of a self-assembled tunable microelectromechanical sys- to process-limited thickness of the metal layers [4] and strong tems (MEMS) inductor with electrostatic, electrothermal, and substrate coupling to the inductor loop. However, with the avail- thermal tuning capability. The surface micromachined inductor was fabricated on a high-resistivity (HR) substrate ( k cm) ability of several attractive choices for enhancing the factor using a doped polysilicon and Au–Cr metal combination as a like use of a thick metal layer, use of micromachining for sub- bimorph structural layer for providing self-assembled elevation strate etching [5]–[7], and so on, microelectromechanical sys- with an enhanced factor. Extensive electro-thermo-mechanical tems (MEMS) based inductors clearly outperform their on-chip and RF characterization was carried out for the inductor, the counterparts in terms of achievable factor and it is also easier latter over a temperature range from 30 C to 150 C. Further- more, the tunable inductor was integrated in the tank circuit of to impart tunability in those, which can be utilized for