A chip component includes a chip component main body, an electrode pad formed on a top surface of the main body, a protective film covering the top surface of the main body and having a contact hole exposing the pad, and an external connection electrode electrically connected to the pad via the hole and having a protruding portion, which, in a plan view looking from a direction perpendicular to a top surface of the pad, extends to a top surface of the film and protrudes further outward than a region of contact with the pad over the full periphery of an edge portion of the hole. A method for manufacturing the component includes forming the pad on the main body's top surface, forming the protective film, forming the hole in the film so as to expose the pad, and forming the electrode electrically connected to the pad via the hole.

A multi-band, electro-mechanical programmable impedance tuner for the frequency range between 10 and 200 MHz uses cascades of three or more continuously variable mechanical capacitors interconnected with sets of low loss flexible or semi-rigid cables; for each frequency band a different set of cables and capacitors are used. The cables and/or variable capacitors inside each tuning block are switchable manually or remotely. Multi-section variable capacitors are also used. Instantaneous impedance tuning is effectuated by changing the state of the capacitors using electrical stepper motors. The tuner is calibrated using a vector network analyzer and the data are saved in the memory of the control computer, which then allows tuning to any user defined impedance within the tuning range. Reflection factor values between 0 and higher than 0.9 can be obtained using this tuner at all frequency bands.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS device and a method of manufacture thereof. The RF electrode, and hence, the dielectric layer thereover, has a curved upper surface that substantially matches the contact area of the bottom surface of the movable plate. As such, the movable plate is able to have good contact with the dielectric layer and thus, good capacitance is achieved.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS device and a method of manufacture thereof. The RF electrode, and hence, the dielectric layer thereover, has a curved upper surface that substantially matches the contact area of the bottom surface of the movable plate. As such, the movable plate is able to have good contact with the dielectric layer and thus, good capacitance is achieved.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS DVC having a shielding electrode structure between the RF electrode and one or more other electrodes that cause a plate to move. The shielding electrode structure may be grounded and, in essence, block or shield the RF electrode from the one or more electrodes that cause the plate to move. By shielding the RF electrode, coupling of the RF electrode to the one or more electrodes that cause the plate to move is reduced and capacitance modulation is reduced or even eliminated.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS DVC having a shielding electrode structure between the RF electrode and one or more other electrodes that cause a plate to move. The shielding electrode structure may be grounded and, in essence, block or shield the RF electrode from the one or more electrodes that cause the plate to move. By shielding the RF electrode, coupling of the RF electrode to the one or more electrodes that cause the plate to move is reduced and capacitance modulation is reduced or even eliminated.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS DVC and a method for fabrication thereof. The MEMS DVC comprises a plate movable from a position spaced a first distance from an RF electrode and a second position spaced a second distance from the RF electrode that is less than the first distance. When in the second position, the plate is spaced from the RF electrode by a dielectric layer that has an RF plateau over the RF electrode. One or more secondary landing contacts and one or more plate bend contacts may be present as well to ensure that the plate obtains a good contact with the RF plateau and a consistent C.sub.max value can be obtained. On the figure PB contact is the plate bend contact, SL contact is the Second Landing contact and the PD electrode is the Pull Down electrode.

The present invention generally relates to a MEMS DVC and a method for fabrication thereof. The MEMS DVC comprises a plate movable from a position spaced a first distance from an RF electrode and a second position spaced a second distance from the RF electrode that is less than the first distance. When in the second position, the plate is spaced from the RF electrode by a dielectric layer that has an RF plateau over the RF electrode. One or more secondary landing contacts and one or more plate bend contacts may be present as well to ensure that the plate obtains a good contact with the RF plateau and a consistent C.sub.max value can be obtained. On the figure PB contact is the plate bend contact, SL contact is the Second Landing contact and the PD electrode is the Pull Down electrode.

A chip component includes a substrate, an element circuit network including a plurality of element parts formed on the substrate, an external connection electrode provided on a surface of the substrate to provide external connection for the element circuit network, a plurality of fuses formed on the substrate and disconnectably connecting each of the plurality of element parts to the external connection electrode, a solder layer formed on an external connection terminal of the external connection electrode and a resin film which covers the surface of the substrate and other surface which intersects the surface of the substrate.

A chip component includes a substrate, an element circuit network including a plurality of element parts formed on the substrate, an external connection electrode provided on a surface of the substrate to provide external connection for the element circuit network, a plurality of fuses formed on the substrate and disconnectably connecting each of the plurality of element parts to the external connection electrode, a solder layer formed on an external connection terminal of the external connection electrode and a resin film which covers the surface of the substrate and other surface which intersects the surface of the substrate.