5THz Figure-of-Merit Reliable Phase-Change RF Switches for Millimeter-Wave Applications

We report the first SbTe phase-change material (PCM) RF switches with a record reliable switching cycle endurance of 10 million. The PCM RF switches were fabricated with SbTe alloy and a refractory TiW heater in a planar configuration. Without the parasitic capacitance coupling of the micro-heater, the RF switch figure-of-merit (FOM) was as high as 4.8–6.3 THz, depending on the switch gap. The RF switch FOM was 7.5–10 times better than state-of-the-art RF switches, including RF silicon-on-insulator technology.