Phase-Change Material (PCM) Radio Frequency (RF) Switch with Reduced Parasitic Capacitance
First Claim
1. A reduced parasitic capacitance radio frequency (RF) switch comprising:
- a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of said PCM and extending outward and transverse to said PCM;
a PCM contact connecting a PCM routing interconnect with a passive segment of said PCM, said passive segment extending outward and transverse to said heating element;
a heating element contact connecting a heating element routing interconnect with a terminal segment of said heating element;
said heating element contact being situated cross-wise to said PCM contact, and wherein said heating element routing interconnect is situated at a different interlayer metal level relative to said PCM routing interconnect so as to achieve said reduced parasitic capacitance for said RF switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reduced parasitic capacitance radio frequency (RF) switch includes a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM and extending outward and transverse to the PCM. A PCM contact connects a PCM routing interconnect with a passive segment of the PCM, wherein the passive segment extends outward and is transverse to the heating element. A heating element contact connects a heating element routing interconnect with a terminal segment of the heating element. The heating element contact is situated cross-wise to the PCM contact. The heating element routing interconnect is situated at a different interlayer metal level relative to the PCM routing interconnect so as to achieve the reduced parasitic capacitance. The heating element routing interconnect can be situated above the heating element. Alternatively, the heating element routing interconnect can be situated below the heating element.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A reduced parasitic capacitance radio frequency (RF) switch comprising:
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a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of said PCM and extending outward and transverse to said PCM; a PCM contact connecting a PCM routing interconnect with a passive segment of said PCM, said passive segment extending outward and transverse to said heating element; a heating element contact connecting a heating element routing interconnect with a terminal segment of said heating element; said heating element contact being situated cross-wise to said PCM contact, and wherein said heating element routing interconnect is situated at a different interlayer metal level relative to said PCM routing interconnect so as to achieve said reduced parasitic capacitance for said RF switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A reduced parasitic capacitance radio frequency (RF) switch comprising:
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a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of said PCM and extending outward and transverse to said PCM; a PCM contact connecting a PCM routing interconnect with a passive segment of said PCM, said passive segment extending outward and transverse to said heating element; a heating element contact connecting a heating element routing interconnect with a terminal segment of said heating element; said heating element contact being situated cross-wise to said PCM contact; said heating element routing interconnect is situated above said heating element; said PCM routing interconnect is situated above said heating element routing interconnect so as to achieve said reduced parasitic capacitance for said RF switch. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A reduced parasitic capacitance radio frequency (RF) switch comprising:
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a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of said PCM and extending outward and transverse to said PCM; a PCM contact connecting a PCM routing interconnect with a passive segment of said PCM, said passive segment extending outward and transverse to said heating element; a heating element contact connecting a heating element routing interconnect with a terminal segment of said heating element; said heating element contact being situated cross-wise to said PCM contact; said heating element routing interconnect is situated below said heating element; said PCM routing interconnect is situated above said heating element so as to achieve said reduced parasitic capacitance for said RF switch. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification