An Integrated Microwave Detector Based on MEMS Technology for X-Band Application

An integrated microwave detector at the X-band (8-12 GHz), based on a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) approach, is proposed in this letter. A six-port MEMS coupler is used for coupling two parts of the input signal from the main line to the two branches. The MEMS coupler is designed to optimize frequency and phase measurements, and this is achieved via several steps. First, the primary signal travels from the main line for amplitude or power detection. Then, a MEMS-based integrated detection approach is used to apply vector composition and the Seebeck effect. Next, the device is fabricated using a variation of the GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit process. Experimental results show that the MEMS detector has return loss of greater than 10 dB and isolation loss of more than 24 dB for the frequency band of 8-12 GHz. The measuring device can detect frequency, phase, and amplitude or power on a single chip.