Bistable RF switches using Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change material

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of Ge <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Te <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Sb <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">5</sub> -based phase change material RF switches. The material exhibits non-volatile reversible amorphous to crystalline phase change with resistivity changes up to 105 orders of magnitude. Being non-volatile, these RF switches do not require permanent bias to be maintained in a given state. We present the design of a 4-terminal RF switch integrating an indirect heating system to induce amorphous to crystalline phase change of the material. The measured figure of merit FOM (Ron × Coff) is about 450 fs, which is comparable to FOM obtained for SOI and SOS technologies, without permanent bias.