RF MEMS Switch Combines Thermal, Electrostatic Action

A new hybrid radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) switch employs bidirectional thermal actuation and electrostatic holding for low-power operation. The switch requires less than 0.3 V for thermal actuation and 15.4 V for electrostatic holding is 15.4 V. Power consumption was 3.24 μJ per switching. And at 2.4 GHz, signal insertion loss was 0.23 dB , and the isolation of signals was 38.80 dB.
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Calls for Papers: RWW , Quantum Information, Covid-19

24 July is the deadline for submitting papers to Radio and Wireless Week (RWW, San Diego, 17-20 Jan. 2021). And 30 Sept. is the date for papers in both the IEEE Transactions on Quantum Engineering (TQE) special section on "Classical Control Systems for Quantum Information Applications" and the IEEE Journal of Electromagnetics, RF and Microwaves in Medicine and Biology (J-ERM) issue on "Covid-19 related Emergency Methods and Systems."
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Ultralow-Power TDD Radio for Medical Implants

A proof-of-concept radio offers a low-cost and highly integrated wireless solution for medical implants. In monitoring mode, the bidirectional time-division datalink consumed 27.5 μW while receiving with -69 dBm sensitivity at 1 kb/s and -59 dBm at 100 kb/s. In interrogation mode, the transmitter delivers 2.5 Mb/s at an output power of -30.6 dBm while consuming 49.5 μW.
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Student Contest for High Efficiency PA Design

The IEEE MTT-S Microwave High Power Techniques Committee (MTT-12), in collaboration with Keysight Technologies, is pleased to announce the 16th High Efficiency Power Amplifier (HEPA) Student Design Competition (SDC). The competition is open to all students, undergraduate and graduate. Competitors must register by 1 Sept. and submit their entries by 1 Oct. Measurements will be live-streamed from Keysight Labs on 16 Oct.
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Uncertainty in Large-Signal Measurements

Metrology engineers evaluated uncertainties in complex frequency-domain traveling voltage waves, and noted how the resultant uncertainty in wave magnitude and phase depends on a varying load reflection coefficient. The study also shows that errors unavoidably affect the uncertainty of performance quantities, such as output power.
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In Memoriam: Hermann Statz

IEEE Fellow Dr. Hermann Statz, 92, passed away on June 14 in Massachusetts. In 1993, Dr. Statz retired from Raytheon, the company he had joined in 1953 and led as Research Division General Manager since 1986. His work there included laser gyroscopes and advanced semiconductors; the latter earned him and team member Robert A. Pucel the Microwave Pioneer Award.
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Continuous-Tune Phase Shifter Using Variable-Phase Network

A new synthesis procedure for variable-phase all-pass networks (VP-APNs) in produces the first VP-APNs with analog and digital control in silicon. Combining analog and digitally controlled networks (in 0.25-μm BiCMOS) produced a continuous-tune phase shifter covering several bands from 14 to 54 GHz, including Ku-, K-, Ka-, and V-band, as well as the 5G bands around 28 and 39 GHz.
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MTT-S Launching Open Access Microwaves Journal

MTT-S will begin publishing the new, open-access IEEE Journal of Microwaves in January 2021. Under the guidance of Founding Editor in Chief Peter H. Siegel, "Microwaves both documents and celebrates the Renaissance that we are now living through in microwave technology and applications...[that] cross disciplines as diverse as communications and cooking, ... at power levels from nanowatts to gigawatts."
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New Micromachining Techniques Improve D-Band Diplexer

A D-band waveguide diplexer has been micromachined in silicon using a releasable filling structure technique to improve geometries. Insertion loss was 1.2 dB at 130-134 GHz and 0.8 dB at 141-148.5 GHz. Center frequency shift was only 0.8% and bandwidth deviation was only 8%, compared to comparable conventional diplexers with center frequency shift of 3.5%,and bandwidth deviation over 60%.
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Coming Up: Intelligent Mobility, Advanced Materials, IMS

Upcoming MTT-S sponsored conferences include: Microwaves for Intelligent Mobility (ICMIM, virtual, 28-29 July), Advanced Materials and Processes for RF and THz (IMWS-AMP, virtual, 29-31 July), the International Microwave Symposium (IMS, RFIC, and ARFTG, virtual, 4-6 Aug.), Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT, virtual and Hiroshima, 2-4 Sept.), and more.
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