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Tuning of a superconducting microwave resonator at 77 K using an integrated micromachined silicon vertical actuator

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Prest, M. J. (Martin J.), Wang, Y., Huang, F. and Lancaster, M. J.. (2010) Tuning of a superconducting microwave resonator at 77 K using an integrated micromachined silicon vertical actuator. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol.20 (No.9). ISSN 0960-1317

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/20/9/095032

Abstract

A silicon micromachined actuator is used to tune a high temperature superconducting microwave resonator. The superconducting resonator is only 1.24 mm x 0.66 mm and demonstrates a Q of up to 1078 at 6.3 GHz and at 77 K. A tuning range of 12% is demonstrated with a maximum applied voltage of 40 V. The frequency of the resonator is controlled by the proximity of a silicon tuning probe. The room temperature resistivity of the silicon is measured to be 20 Omega cm; this value drops as the device is cooled, but remains the limiting factor in the quality factor of the device. This proof of principle experiment demonstrates the application of silicon micromachining for tuning of superconducting microwave circuits, which is achieved despite the difficulties presented by differing material properties and thermal constraints when cooling to 77 K.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Actuators, Microwave devices, Resonators, Micromachining
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
Publisher:	IOP Publishing Ltd
ISSN:	0960-1317
Date:	September 2010
Volume:	Vol.20
Number:	No.9
Number of Pages:	6
Identification Number:	10.1088/0960-1317/20/9/095032
Status:	Not Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Sixth Framework Programme (European Commission) (FP6)
References:	[1] Prest M J, Wang Y, Huang F and Lancaster M J 2008 Silicon comb-drive actuators for low-temperature tuning of superconducting microwave circuits J. Micromech. Microeng. 18 125003-125009 [2] Tsuzuki G, Hernandez M P and Willemsen B A 2005 Tuning fork filter design for hand scribe tuning Microwave Symp. Dig. 2005 IEEE MTT-S International [3] Hijazi Y S, Hanna D, Fairweather D, Vlasov Y A and Larkins G L 2003 Fabrication of a superconducting MEM shunt switch for RF applications IEEE Trans. on Appl. Superconductivity 13 700-703. [4] Prophet E M, Musolf J, Zuck B F, Jimenez S, Kihlstrom K E, Willemsen B A 2005 Highly-Selective Electronically-Tunable Cryogenic Filters Using Monolithic, Discretely-Switchable MEMS Capacitor Arrays IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity 15 956-959 [5] Su H T, Llamas-Garro I., Lancaster M J, Prest M, Park J-H, Kim J-M, Baek C-W and Kim Y-K 2006 Performance of RF MEMS switches at low temperatures Electronics Letters 42 1219-1220 [6] Abbaspour-Tamijani A, Dussopt L, and Rebeiz G M 2003 Miniature and tunable filters using MEMS capacitors IEEE Trans. MTT 51 1878-1885 [7] Hah D, Yoon E and Hong S 2000 A low-voltage actuated micromachined microwave switch using torsion springs and leverage IEEE Trans. MTT 48 2540 [8] Prest M J, Wang Y, Huang F and Lancaster M J 2008 Silicon MEMS tunable supeconducting microwave circuits Proc. 9th Int. Symp. on RF MEMS and RF Microsystems (MEMSWAVE 2008) (Heraklion, Greece, 1-3 July 2008) [9] Sonnet Simulation Tools 2006 Sonnet Software Inc., (Syracuse, NY) [10] Wang Y, Lancaster M J 2007 Coplanar to Microstrip Transitions for on-wafer Measurements Microwave and Optical Technology Letters 49 100-103 [11] White M J 1973 Thermal expansion of reference materials: copper, silica and silicon J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 6 2070 [12] Smith D K and Leider H R 1968 Low-temperature thermal expansion of LiH, MgO and CaO J. Appl. Cryst. 1 246
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/5268