A unified, macroscopic, one-dimensional model is presented for the quantitative
description of the process of dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive
switches. The model provides for the direct incorporation of various physical factors
known to impact dielectric charging, such as surface roughness, material inhomogeneity
and electric field-dependent conduction in the dielectric. The values of the various parameters
used in the model are extracted from experimental data. The proposed model
serves as a generalization of various earlier models reported in the literature for the
quantitative description of dielectric charging. Its formulation is such that it can be incorporated
in a straightforward manner in coupled electro-mechanical modeling
schemes for the computer-aided analysis of RF MEMS capacitive switches.