Directly Heated RF Phase Change Switch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An RF switch having two ports, comprising:
- a substrate;
a bottom heater electrode disposed onto a surface of the substrate;
a phase change material disposed onto the bottom heater electrode;
an input electrode and an output electrode disposed on opposing sides of the phase change material and operable to form a conductive path for an RF signal through the phase change material; and
a top heater electrode disposed onto the phase change material, wherein the top and bottom heater electrodes are configured to draw a current through the phase change material in a direction transverse to the conductive path.
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Abstract
An RF switch is provided with a direct heating method. The RF switch is comprised of two RF electrodes disposed on opposing sides of a phase change element. Depending on the state of the phase change material, the RF electrodes form a conductive path through the phase change material for an RF signal. To control the state of the phase change material, the RF switch further includes a heater formed from two heater electrodes. The two heater electrodes are configured to draw a current through the phase change element in a direction transverse to the conductive path.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An RF switch having two ports, comprising:
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a substrate; a bottom heater electrode disposed onto a surface of the substrate; a phase change material disposed onto the bottom heater electrode; an input electrode and an output electrode disposed on opposing sides of the phase change material and operable to form a conductive path for an RF signal through the phase change material; and a top heater electrode disposed onto the phase change material, wherein the top and bottom heater electrodes are configured to draw a current through the phase change material in a direction transverse to the conductive path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An RF switch having two RF ports, comprising:
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a substrate; a bottom heater electrode disposed onto a surface of the substrate and configured to concentrate heat at a center of the bottom heater electrode; a phase change material disposed onto the bottom heater electrode; an input electrode disposed on the phase change layer and configured to conduct an RF signal; an output electrode disposed on the phase change layer and configured to conduct an RF signal, wherein the input electrode and the output electrode abut opposing side surfaces of the phase change material; and a top heater electrode disposed onto the phase change material and configured to concentrate heat at a center of the top heater electrode, wherein the top and bottom heater are operable to draw a current through the phase change material in a direction transverse to the conductive path. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An RF switch having two ports, comprising:
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a substrate; a bottom RF electrode disposed onto a surface of the substrate; a phase change material disposed onto the bottom RF electrode; two heater electrodes disposed on the phase change layer, wherein the two heater electrodes are arranged on opposing sides of the phase change material and form an electrical heating path therethrough; and a top RF electrode disposed onto the phase change material, wherein the top and bottom RF electrodes are configured to form an RF conductive path which is transverse in relation to the electrical heating path. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification