Patent · US Expired

High frequency tunable capacitors

US6215644A · kind A · utility

124Cited by
51References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 9, 1999
Grant dateApr 10, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 9, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01G5/16
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A tunable capacitor having low loss and a corresponding high Q is provided. The tunable capacitor includes first and second substrates having first and second capacitor plates disposed, respectively, thereon. The capacitor plates may include a high temperature superconductor material. A MEMS actuator, that is either driven by electrostatic force, heat or both, operably contacts the second substrate so that once the actuator is engaged it responds by displacing the second substrate, thereby varying the capacitance between said first capacitor plate and said second capacitor plate. As such, the capacitance can be controlled based upon the relative spacing between the first and second capacitor plates. The MEMS actuator may either be operably attached to the second substrate or detached, yet supporting, the second substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.