Steep slope VO<inf>2</inf> switches for wide-band (DC-40 GHz) reconfigurable electronics

Abstract

This work proves the feasibility of electrically actuated, CMOS compatible, microwave VO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> switches on SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> /Si substrates with low variability, 100% yield, better than 109 cycles lifetime, ultra-steep OFF-ON transition and better RF performance than previously reported VO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> switches on Al <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> substrates (flat -0.6 dB S <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">21-ON</sub> with -10 dB S <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">21-OFF</sub> at 40 GHz). The extensive characterization of the fabricated switches has led to an optimum design with maximized S <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">21-ON</sub> /S <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">21-OFF</sub> ratio and validation as a promising solution for wideband reconfigurable electronics.