High Performance, Continuously Tunable Microwave Filters using MEMS Devices with Very Large, Controlled, Out-of-Plane Actuation

Software defined radios (SDR) in the microwave X and K bands offer the promise of low cost, programmable operation with real-time frequency agility. However, the real world in which such radios operate requires them to be able to detect nanowatt signals in the vicinity of 100 kW transmitters. This imposes the need for selective RF filters on the front end of the receiver to block the large, out of band RF signals so that the finite dynamic range of the SDR is not overwhelmed and the desired nanowatt signals can be detected and digitally processed. This is currently typically done with a number of narrow band filters that are switched in and out under program control. What is needed is a small, fast, wide tuning range, high Q, low loss filter that can continuously tune over large regions of the microwave spectrum. In this paper we show how extreme throw MEMS actuators can be used to build such filters operating up to 15 GHz and beyond. The key enabling attribute of our MEMS actuators is that they have large, controllable, out-of-plane actuation ranges of a millimeter or more. In a capacitance-post loaded cavity filter geometry, this gives sufficient precisely controllable motion to produce widely tunable devices in the 4-15 GHz regime.Comment: 12 pages 14 figures 2 table

The Farm Level Impacts of Replacing Current Farm Programs with a Whole Farm Revenue Program

This study evaluates the farm level economic impacts of implementing a whole farm revenue insurance program in lieu of current government program payments on agricultural producers in major production areas of the United States. Realizing a multitude of viable options exist, this study demonstrates one way a whole farm revenue coverage program could work at the farm level and makes comparisons between the current baseline situation and alternative levels of revenue coverage implementation.agricultural policy, simulation, representative farms, government payments, crop insurance, revenue coverage, Agricultural and Food Policy,

The Impact of Increased Planting Flexibility on Planting Decisions Across Texas

Increased acreage planting flexibility granted through the last three farm bills has allowed agricultural producers to make production choices without government programs driving their decisions. Planted acre data for program crops in seven Texas regions is used to describe response to varying degrees of flexibility granted through decoupled payments.Crop Production/Industries,

Investigating the Redundancies in Current Farm Programs

Farm Programs, Agricultural and Food Policy, Risk and Uncertainty,

Impacts of Budget Reconciliation on U.S. Crop Producers

The President has called for a $6.96 billion savings in expenditures to agriculture over a five year period. A budget reconciliation is required to achieve these targeted savings from farm bill authorized expenditures. This study uses optimal control theory and farm level simulation to quantify the impacts on U.S. crop producers of reducing federal spending for agricultural income supports. Results indicate that the least harmful method for the Agricultural Committees to achieve budget savings of$3 billion is to reduce loan rates. At higher levels of net budget savings, some risk adverse decision makers would prefer that the Committees reduce target prices.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Economic Outlook for Representative Cotton Farms Given the August 2006 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

The majority of the cotton farms are in poor overall financial condition under the August 2006 Baseline. Drought conditions this year will deplete cash built from more favorable yields in 2004 and 2005 in many cases. In addition, the poor financial performance of the farms is attributed in part to the large increase in input prices. Fuel costs, previously projected to decrease modestly in 2005 and 2006, are now more accurately depicted as significant increases, building further on the large increases experienced in 2003 and 2004. The increase in cost is not limited to fuel expense for trucks, equipment, and irrigation motors, but includes the cost of nitrogen fertilizer and ag-related services which are closely linked to energy prices. Many cotton producers have adopted genetically modified seed and more expensive conventional varieties in order to enhance efficiencies and achieve higher yields; however, the tradeoff for these gains is increased cost of seed and technology fees. Steel prices have skyrocketed, thus increasing the cost of machinery along with the cost of repairing existing machinery. To keep quality employees on the farm, producers are faced with rising wage pressure from competing industries. The bottom line is producers are threatened by the rising cost of doing business while modest projected increases in cotton and other commodity prices fail to outpace these inflationary pressures.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries,

Economic Outlook for Representative Ranches Given the August 2007 FAPRI/AFPC Baseline

While projected cattle prices are considered to be the primary determinant of the financial viability of the representative ranches, the prices of feed crops and bi-products can also have an impact. The ranches produce hay and are often net buyers or net sellers. At least two of the ranches retain ownership through the backgrounding stage and feed some concentrates. The smaller Missouri ranch produces a number of grain and oilseed crops, and the smaller Texas ranch also raises broilers. Additionally, crop prices have an impact on fed cattle returns, which impacts feeder cattle prices. Projected livestock prices for FAPRI’s August 2007 Baseline are presented in Table 1. In general, beef cattle prices are projected to decline each year from 2008 though 2012, but feeder cattle prices are now expected to stay above $102/cwt. Specifically, prices for classes of cattle are projected to move as follows: • Feeder cattle prices are projected to peak at$118.46/cwt in 2008 and decline to $102.03/cwt by 2012. • Fat cattle prices peak at$94.21/cwt in 2008 and end at $86.40/cwt in 2012. • Cull cow prices range between$47.14/cwt and $52.98/cwt during the 2007-2012 period. Projected crop prices for FAPRI’s August 2007 Baseline are also summarized in Table 1. Individual crop prices are projected to move as follows: • The U.S. all hay prices are expected to hit a high of$123.20/ton in 2007 and then level off to $111.52/ton by 2012. • Corn prices start at$3.10/bu in 2007, peak at $3.38/bu in 2008, and end at$3.25/bu in 2012. • Wheat prices range between $5.11/bu and$4.19/bu between 2007 and 2012, with the highest price expectation in 2007. • Sorghum prices remain in the relatively tight range of $2.92/bu to$3.19/bu through 2012. • Soybean meal is expected to stay between $192.68/ton and$207.88/ton from 2007- 2012. Projected annual rates of change for variable cash expenses are summarized in Table 2. The rate of change in input prices comes from FAPRI’s August 2007 Baseline. Based on projections from Global Insight, annual interest rates paid for intermediate-term and long-term loans and interest rates earned on savings are also reported in Table 2. Assumed annual rates of change in land values over the 2007-2012 period are provided by the FAPRI Baseline and are projected to range between 3.51% and 13.68% per year.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,

Mems device with large out-of-plane actuation and low-resistance interconnect and methods of use

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office, www.uspto.gov”The present application is directed to a MEMS device. The MEMS device includes a substrate having a first end and a second end extending along a longitudinal axis, the Substrate including an electrostatic actuator. The device also includes a movable plate having a first end and a second end. The device also includes a thermal actuator having a first end coupled to the first end of the substrate and a second end coupled to the first end of the plate. The actuator moves the plate in relation to the substrate. Further, the device includes a power source electrically coupled to the thermal actuator and the Substrate. The application is also directed to a method for operating a MEMS device