Finite Element Simulation of the MEMS Switch Contact Temperature

Switches fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology are considered as a new element base for microwave devices. Small size, high isolation, low insertion loss and power consumption make them attractive for wireless communication and radar systems. However, the implementation of MEMS switches in microwave technology is hampered by their poor reliability. Switches often fail due to contact resistance growth. The contacts degrade due to material transfer under high switching current. In this paper, the simulation results for resistive heating of microcontacts using the finite element method are presented.