N-Way MMIC Redundant Switch

A novel approach to provide redundancy in an N-Way MESFET Switch has been invented and realized with monolithic microwave integrated circuit technology. This switch circuit uses series and shunt FETs configured in a manner to prevent failure of the switch even if several FETs fail. For example a SPDT redundant switch is capable of providing 1.3 dB insertion loss, and return loss and isolation better than 20 dB and 35 dB, respectively over dc to 12 GHz, even if 25% of the FETs fail in each arm.