Low-power consumption InGaAs PIN diode switches for V-band applications

In this paper, we present the measurement results of two InP-based coplanar SPST (single pole single throw) PIN diode switches operating at V-band fre quencies. The switches show excellent mm-wave performance combined with a v ery low DC-power consumption. The SPST with on-chip biasing and DC-blocking capacitors demonstrates an insertion loss as low as 0.84 dB and a high iso lation value of 21.8 dB at a center frequency of 53 GHZ with only 0.8 mW of DC-power consumption. A more simple SPST exhibits under equivalent conditi ons (0.9 mW) an excellent insertion loss of 0.52 dB and an isolation of 21. 7 dB. Furthermore the power-handling capability of the InGaAs PIN diodes, w hich are used as active switching elements, is investigated in this paper a nd found to exceed 25 dBm at a reverse voltage of -5 V.