Effect of Environment Humidity on the C-V Characteristics of RF-MEMS Capacitive switch

Zbigniew OLSZEWSKI, Russell DUANE, Conor O’MAHONY

Tyndall National Institute, Lee Maltings, Prospect Row, Cork, Ireland, Phone: +353 21 4904112
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract. Measurements of the C-V characteristics of oxide-based RF-MEMS switches in humid-air and dry-air environment, before and after dc bias stress, are reported. It is shown that humidity affects the device behaviour and can determine the direction of the C-V characteristic drift. We report for the first time that the entire C-V curve “shifts” when the device operates in a humid environment and “narrows” when the environment is dry.