SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Radiofrequency (RF) switches are an integral part of RF electronics required for all forms of high-frequency communications. RF electronics is a critical infrastructure requirement for almost all defense applications including fighter planes, radar, munition, satellites, space vehicles, edge computing, and others. These applications have strict requirements on weight, performance, and power consumption. Our proposed solution is a high-performance correlated electron (Ce) non-volatile programmable RF switch that enables extremely fast, compact, and light weight RF communication systems. We expect the Ce switch performance to be comparable to the best volatile solid-state switches such as diodes and transistors, while consuming much less power. In addition, the correlated electron effect makes Ce switch non-volatile which could be extremely crucial in case of power loss or for applications with an intermitted power supply. The Ce switch works only with pre-designed current and voltage which theoretically makes it immune to disturbances like heat or radiation or magnetic fields. The operation temperature could be as low as 1K, making it idea for deep space applications. The correlated electron effect can be achieved in various dimensions enabling applications in monolithic microwave-integrated circuits (MMICs) as well as large discrete communication systems. The switch design is simple, which enables low-cost production. Most importantly, our technology is already proven to work with commonly available spin-on technology making it compatible with leading trusted foundries.
