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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

Dielectric Polymer Based Tunable Bandpass Filter for RF MEMS Applications

  1. G.V. Ganesh Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram
  2. Nagandla Prasad Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam
  3. Pokkunuri Pardhasaradhi Department of Independent Research and Development and Electronics and Communication Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram
  4. Devarapu Santosh Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram

Abstract

In this paper, we report on the design, modeling, and analysis of a tunable bandpass filter implemented in a coplanar waveguide (CPW) configuration, where a distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) is integrated with dielectric polymer layers to achieve dynamic frequency and bandwidth reconfigurability. The proposed filter architecture leverages the tunable dielectric response of polymer films, enabling precise control of the center frequency and passband width under applied electrostatic bias. Comprehensive parametric studies were conducted on polymer characteristics—including dielectric constant, material selection, film thickness, surface uniformity, and air-gap geometry—to optimize capacitance variation, minimize actuation voltage, and maintain consistent RF stability. Electromagnetic simulations validated that the dielectric polymer integration allows center frequency tuning from 0.2 to 1 GHz, bandwidth reconfiguration of approximately 0.7 GHz, and superior microwave performance, characterized by a return loss of –22.5 dB and insertion loss near –3 dB. The fabrication process is compatible with low-temperature processing and flexible substrates, offering excellent scalability for compact and conformal microwave systems. Owing to its reconfigurable nature and reliable performance, the proposed dielectric polymer–based RF MEMS bandpass filter holds significant potential for next-generation UHF, radar, and consumer wireless communication applications.

Keywords

References (61)

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