100 MHz to 20 GHz monolithic single-pole, two-, three-, and four-throw GaAs PIN diode switches

Monolithic GaAs p-i-n diode single-pole, two-, three-, and four-throw switch circuits provide low noise figure and insertion loss performance over a two-decade+one-octave bandwidth. From 100 MHz to 20 GHz, the measured noise figure and insertion loss for the three switch types are less than 1 dB in the through path, with greater than 45 dB of isolation in the off paths. These state-of-the-art results are obtained using a vertical p-i-n diode process on metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) material. Each of the three p-i-n diode switch types has been designed with and without on-chip bias networks. The authors compare the performance demonstrated by this family of six single-pole, two-, three-, and four-throw switch circuits.<>