Packaging-Test-Fixture for In-Line Coupling RF MEMS Power Sensors

This letter presents research on a packaging-test-fixture for 8-10 GHz GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit-based in-line coupling radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) power sensors by showing the performance of the power sensors embedded into RF circuit systems. The principle of the sensors is to measure a certain percentage of the microwave power coupled into a MEMS membrane. The packaging method utilizes the transition of the coplanar waveguide (CPW)-port power sensor, two microstrip lines, and two sub-miniature- A connectors. Experiments demonstrate that the design of the packaged power sensor has resulted in the reflection loss of about -25 dB at 9 GHz, with an insertion loss of less than 1.3 dB at 8-10 GHz, with good linearity of the output response. A sensitivity of more than 18.7 mu V . mW(-1) is obtained at 9 GHz at ambient temperature.