RF/DC decoupling system for RF switches based on phase change material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10644067-B2
Application number	US-201816131220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An RF switch provided with a first region based on a phase change material disposed between a first conductive element and a second conductive element and state control means for said first region, the switch being further provided with at least one first decoupling switch provided with a second region of phase change material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An RF switch configured to modify a connection between a first conductive element and a second conductive element, said RF switch being configured to alternately route an RF signal and stop routing the RF signal between the first conductive element and the second conductive element, the RF switch comprising: a first region of phase change material disposed between the first conductive element and the second conductive element,
a control device with control electrodes arranged on either side of said first region and configured to apply a state control electrical signal for the first region of phase change material, the control device being configured to modify a state of said first region of phase change material by heating said phase change material of said first region, said phase change material being in a crystal state or in an amorphous state,
a first decoupling switch configured to alternately connect a first control electrode and said first region when said first decoupling switch is ON and to disconnect the first control electrode and said first region when the first decoupling switch is OFF, the first decoupling switch comprising a second region of phase change material disposed between the first control electrode and a second control electrode, said second electrode being arranged against said first region of phase change material.

2. The RF switch according to claim 1 , wherein the RF switch is provided with a heating device configured to place the first decoupling switch alternately to an ON state and to an OFF state, the heating device being provided with electrodes arranged on either side of said second region of phase change material and provided to apply an activating electrical signal configured to modify the crystal state or amorphous state of said phase change material of said second region of phase change material.

3. The RF switch according to claim 2 , wherein said electrodes configured to apply the activating electrical signal to the first decoupling switch are heating electrodes distinct from the first control electrode and from said second control electrode.

4. The RF switch according to claim 2 , wherein the activating electrical signal is applied through the first control electrode.

5. The RF switch according to claim 4 , wherein the first conductive element is a conductive line able to convey the RF signal from a first point to a second point of an RF circuit, the first region of phase change material forming a shunt and the second conductive element forming a ground to which the RF signal is transmitted when the phase change material of said first region is brought to a crystal state.

6. The RF switch according to claim 2 , wherein the activating electrical signal is conveyed by the first control electrode and a heating electrode distinct from said control electrodes.

7. The RF switch according to claim 6 , further comprising a second decoupling switch adapted to alternately connect and disconnect another control electrode and the first region of phase change material, said second decoupling switch includes another region of phase change material disposed between said other control electrode and said first region of phase change material.

8. The RF switch according to claim 7 , configured to alternately switch from a first state to a second state and reversely and to switch from the first state of the RF switch to a third state and reversely, and to switch from the third state to a fourth state and reversely,
the first state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are ON whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are connected to each other,
the second state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are OFF whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are connected to each other,
the third state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are ON whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are disconnected from each other,
the fourth state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are OFF whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are disconnected from each other.

9. The RF switch according to claim 7 , configured to alternately switch from a first state to a second state and reversely and to switch from the first state of the switch to a third state and reversely,
the first state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are ON whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are connected to each other,
the second state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are OFF whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are connected to each other,
the third state of the RF switch being such that the first decoupling switch, the second decoupling switch are OFF whereas the first conductive element and the second conductive element are disconnected from each other.

10. The switch according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one third decoupling switch in series with the first decoupling switch, the third decoupling switch comprising a region of phase change material.

11. The RF switch according to claim 2 , wherein the heating device is an indirect heating device provided with heating electrodes arranged on either side of said second region of phase change material and remote from said second region of phase change material.

12. The RF switch according to claim 2 , wherein the heating device is provided with heating electrodes arranged on either side of said second region of phase change material, the second region of phase change material having between its heating electrodes a dimension X 2 different from another dimension Y 3 corresponding to a width of the heating electrodes in contact with the second region of phase change material.

13. The RF switch according to claim 12 , and wherein the second region of phase change material has between its heating electrodes the dimension X 2 different from the dimension X 3 corresponding to the width of the first control electrode and of another control electrode in contact with the first region of phase change material.

14. The RF switch according to claim 1 , wherein the first region of phase change material is made of a first phase change material, the second region of phase change material being made of a second phase change material different from the first phase change material.

15. The RF switch according to claim 1 , the RF switch being arranged on a substrate, the first control electrode including distinct connections at several points of the first region of PCM material, the first conductive element or the first control electrode being provided with:
a first conductive portion disposed in a first plane,
a second conductive portion disposed between a second plane parallel and distinct from the first plane, and
a conductive via connecting the first conductive portion of the second conductive portion, the first control electrode extending between the first conductive element and the second conductive element without contacting the first conductive element or the second conductive element.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Reig Bruno
• Leon Alexandre
• Saint-Patrice Damien

Classifications

• H01P1/10 Primary

  for switching or interrupting {(in systems using reflection or reradiation of radio, acoustic or other waves G01S7/034)} · CPC title

• H01L27/2463 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/144

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L45/06

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/2409

  Electricity · mapped topic