The electrical behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotube network embedded in amorphous silicon nitride is studied by measuring the voltage and temperature dependences of the current. The microstructure of the network is investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The multi-walled carbon nanotube network has an uniform spatial extension in the silicon nitride matrix. The current-voltage and resistance-temperature characteristics are both linear, proving the metallic behavior of the network. The I-V curves present oscillations that are further analyzed by computing the conductance-voltage characteristics. The conductance presents minima and maxima that appear at the same voltage for both bias polarities, at both 20 and 298 K, and that are not periodic. These oscillations are interpreted as due to percolation processes. The voltage percolation thresholds are identified with the conductance minima.

A method that allows the investigation of discharge transport mechanism in dielectric films used in MEMS capacitive switches or MIM capacitors or even bare dielectric films is presented. The method is based on monitoring the dielectric film surface or MIM top electrode potential decay rate and the dependence of conductivity on surface potential. The method has been applied in MEMS and MIMs with simultaneously deposited dielectric film to confirm the closeness of transport data in MIM and MEMS devices. The impact of non-uniform charging on local discharge rate and different dielectric film stoichiometry has been also assessed. Finally, the effect of surface leakage due to environment humidity has been also investigated. [2019-0159]

Lamb-wave acoustic devices have been proposed as a promising platform for sensing applications. In this paper, the performance of a GaN Lamb wave device as a liquid-based mass sensor is studied with respect to the effect of environmental parameters to the device performance, namely, the liquid flow-rate, device temperature, and presence of a thin gold film deposited on the GaN membrane.

This letter presents a novel monolithic integrated frequency multiplier circuit for free space power generation in the ${W}$ -band (75–110 GHz). The circuit is based on a submicrometer GaAs Schottky diode monolithically integrated with a slot antenna on a GaAs semi-insulating substrate. The fabricated diode with an air-bridged Schottky contact and a U-shaped ohmic contact showed an ideality factor of about 1.25 and a zero bias cutoff frequency higher than 1.25 THz. Using input signals between 15 and 50 GHz, the free space power generated in the ${W}$ -band corresponding to $\times 2$ , $\times 3$ , $\times 4$ , and $\times 5$ frequency multiplication was measured and showed minimum isotropic conversion losses (with antenna) of 11.5, 16.9, 23.7, and 26.4 dB, respectively.

Radio Frequency Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (RF MEMS) are devices showing exceptional potential to satisfy the demands of emerging RF electronic technologies, including those considered for high-power applications, such as for long distance communication systems. Operation in this regime requires an alternative way of thinking for these devices and, for example, a more accurate control of the pull-in voltage is of major importance due to the self-actuation effect. Therefore, the studies focusing on the features of the moving bridges are of great importance. This work presents the fabrication of a full family of RF MEMS switches suitable for high-power implementations having bridges deposited by Au electroplating and released using purely standard wet processes, as well as a carefully designed experimental study of their pull-in voltage. Depositing the bridge of the high-power RF MEMS by using only a single electroplating step makes the device fabrication easier, whilst the utilization of a purely wet release process is an asset. This method relies on low temperature processes, applicable simultaneously in bridges with various geometrical and perforation details without the need of any specialised infrastructure. The experimentally obtained results suggest that for this technology the bridge thickness is a critical factor for controlling the pull-in characteristics between devices fabricated in the same run. Moreover, it is revealed that for thicker bridges, geometry and hole perforation effects are more pronounced. This technology is therefore suitable for developing RF MEMS where the bridge thickness could be potentially utilized for enabling optimization engineering between devices that should be fabricated in the same run but need to satisfy diverse specifications during their operation.

The paper proposed miniaturized delay lines on layered synthetic substrate materials which support slow-electromagnetic propagation. Under certain conditions such substrates mimic materials with ultra-high electric permittivity. The proposed structure is easily fabricated and a miniaturization factor of two orders of magnitude is reported. Theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement.