RF Switches

Prof. Girish Kumar

Electrical Engineering Department
IIT Bombay

gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in
prof.gkumar@gmail.com
(022) 2576 7436
 PIN Diode Switch
P I N Cj Rs Lp

Cp = package capacitor = 0.1 to 0.5pF Rj Cp

Lp = package inductance = 0.1 to 2nH R
f
PIN Diode is Forward Biased (ON)
Rf = 0.2 to 5Ω = sum of the resistances of the p and n layers and the contact
resistance. Cj Rr
PIN Diode is Reverse Biased (OFF)
Under reverse bias, charge carriers are completely swept out of the I-layer.
The diode presents a high impedance and is predominantly governed by the
capacitive reactance. Cj = 0.01 to 2pF and Rr = 0.2 to 5Ω
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 2
Series Switch (SPST/SP1T)
Zo
PIN Zo Zo Zo
Diode

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 3

Series SPST Switch Realization

Vs
Z0 Cc λ/4 Z0

λ/4 Cc
Vs = V
λ/4
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 4
Simulation of Series SPST Switch

Series SPST Schematic in ADS

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 5
Simulated Results of Series SPST Switch

Diode FB: Switch ON

Diode RB: Switch OFF

When Diode is OFF

When Diode is ON
Isolation >10dB upto
Insertion loss <1dB
2 GHz (not adequate)
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 6
 Shunt SPST Switch
Zo Zo

 corresponds to insertion loss when the diode is R.B. or switch is “ON”

 corresponds to isolation when the diode is F.B. or switch is “OFF”
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 7
 Series Shunt SPST Switch
IN OUT

D1
D2 
Zo Zo

A better switching performance can be obtained when

both series and shunt diodes are used in a single circuit.
Switch is ON: when D1 is ON (FB) and D2 is OFF (RB)
Switch is OFF: when D1 is OFF (RB) and D2 is ON (FB)
FB: Forward Bias
RB: Reverse Bias
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 8
Series Shunt SPST Switch (contd.)

Configuration Insertion Loss (dB) Isolation (dB)

Series 0.147 8.3
Shunt 0.063 7.5
Series-Shunt 0.108 20.2

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 9

Wide Band Series-Shunt-Series Switch
D1 D1
D2

Ls Ls Cj Cj
Cj Ls

Switch is ON: LPF Switch is OFF: HPF

(Forward and Reverse Bias Resistances are not shown )
Switch is ON: When D1 is ON (FB) and D2 is OFF (RB)
Switch is OFF: When D1 is OFF (RB) and D2 is ON (FB)
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 10
Wide Band 5-element Series-Shunt Switch

• Isolation is better than 3 devices up to 19GHz

• 20dB isolation is obtained up to 16.3GHz for 5-devices and
20dB isolation is obtained up to 12.4GHz for 3-devices
• Instead of using PIN Diodes, MESFETs can be used.
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 11
Series Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT/SP2T)
D1 D2

Input  Output 1, when D1 is ON (FB) and D2 is OFF (RB)

Input  Output 2, when D1 is OFF (RB) and D2 is ON (FB)

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 12

 Shunt SPDT/SP2T Switch
A
D1 D2

Input  Output 1, A’ Input  Output 2,

when D1 is OFF (RB) when D1 is ON (FB)
and D2 is ON (FB) and D2 is OFF (RB)

For Input  Output 1, it requires λ/4 section so that

when D2 is FB, it appears as an open circuit at AA’
Disadvantage: Bandwidth is limited due to λ/4 section.
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 13
Insertion loss and Isolation of SPDT
Isolation

Insertion Loss

Because of λ/4 section, insertion loss increases as frequency

changes from the design freq. (3GHz). Series SPDT is better.
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 14
Shunt Mounted MESFET for SPDT

Roff = 2.15k
Coff = 0.25pF LC added in parallel for compensated
RON = 2.53Ω MESFET reduces the insertion loss and
increases isolation.
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 15
 Series Shunt SPDT Switch
IN Zc

Cc
D3 D4
Zc Cc D1 D2 Cc Zc
OUT 1 OUT 2
λ/4 Zl Zl λ/4

Vs = V  V
B1 Zp λ/4 λ/4 Zp
B2

When VB1 is V D1 will be ON and D3 will be OFF

Input to OUT 1
and VB2 is –V  D4 will be ON and D2 will be OFF
When the bias voltages are reversed  Input to OUT 2
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 16
 Series SPDT Switch Results
Input Port
Port 2 Port 3

Fabricated Series SPDT

Diode (Infineon make; Output at Port 2 Output at Port 3
BAR64-02v):
Rf, forward resistance: 1.35Ω Observations at center frequency 2GHz:
RP, reverse resistance: 3kΩ ;
CT, shunt capacitance: 0.17pF;
 Output at Port 2: -2.99 dBm
Ls, series inductance: 0.6 nH  Output at Port 3: -15.31 dBm
Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 17
SP2T IC-SKY13453-385LF (0.01 to 6.0 GHz)
C4 = 10nF

C1 = C2 = C3 = 100 pF for 0.7 to 3 GHz

Price: Rs. 20 to 40 depending upon quantity from www.mouser.in

Microwave Theory and Techniques | Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay 18