CPW self-resetting power limiting devices based on microwave power induced semiconductor-metal transition in vanadium dioxide

We present a novel concept of microwave power limiting devices (reversible self-resetting fuses and power limiters) based on reversible semiconductor-to-metal transition (SMT) of vanadium dioxide thin films integrated on coplanar waveguide transmission lines (CPW). We designed, simulated and fabricated devices which can be reversibly driven from a low-loss (<0.7 dB) transmission state into a high-loss state (attenuation higher than 32 dB from 100 MHz to 40 GHz) as the VO₂ material is changing from semiconductor to metal when the incident microwave power exceed a threshold value. These simple devices can be easily integrated as broadband protection circuits from excess power or DC transients for a large variety of RF and microwave components.