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US 10,097,232 B2Granted
Apparatus for reducing RF crossover coupling
AssigneepSemi Corporation
InventorPeter Bacon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and arrangements for reducing crossover coupling of two or more RF signals are described. In one case, a crossover structure is described where RF signals are routed through coplanar waveguides having a specific characteristic impedance and crossing at a central point of the crossover structure by way of a bridge. Further described is a multi-port rotary RF switch fitted with the crossover structure which allows substantially balanced electrical performance across all the operational states of the rotary RF switch at RF signal frequencies up to 50 GHz and beyond. A controller unit coupled to the RF switch can support a control interface to configure the rotary switch according to all possible distinct states of the rotary switch, or a subset thereof.
Claims22
A monolithically integrated 4-port switch, comprising:
- four ports, each adapted to carry a radio frequency (RF) signal with a frequency content that is within a frequency range from DC to 50 GHz;
- a plurality of separate switchable conduction paths, each selectively, and independently from any other conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths, connecting and disconnecting respective two ports of the four ports so that any port of the four ports is adapted to be selectively connected to any other port of the four ports by way of a single conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths, the plurality of switchable conduction paths comprising:
- i) four peripheral switchable conduction paths, each devoid of a crossing path with a different conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths;
- and
- ii) two crossing switchable conduction paths crossing one another at a central region of symmetry of the 4-port switch by way of a single crossover structure, and each devoid of a crossing path with a different conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths,
- wherein each switchable conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths:
- a) is configured to selectively operate in one of an ON state and an OFF state, the ON state providing a low impedance path between the respective two ports of the each switchable conduction path, and the OFF state providing a high impedance path between the respective two ports,
- b) in the ON state, provides an insertion loss between the respective two ports that is smaller than 3.5 dB at the frequency range, and
- c) in the OFF state, provides an isolation between the respective two ports, and between any of the respective two ports and any of the remaining ports of the four ports, that is greater than 40 dB at the frequency range.
6 more elements
A monolithically integrated N-port switch, comprising:
- N ports, each adapted to carry a radio frequency (RF) signal with a frequency content that is within a frequency range from DC to 50 GHz, N being an integer number equal to or greater than five;
- a plurality of separate switchable conduction paths, each selectively, and independently from any other conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths, connecting and disconnecting respective two ports of the N ports so that any port of the N ports is adapted to be selectively connected to any other port of the N ports by way of a single conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths, the plurality of switchable conduction paths comprising:
- i) N peripheral switchable conduction paths, each devoid of a crossing path with a different conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths;
- and
- ii) (N−3)+(N−3)*(N−2)/2 crossing switchable conduction paths crossing one another,
- wherein each switchable conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths:
- a) is configured to selectively operate in one of an ON state and an OFF state, the ON state providing a low impedance path between the respective two ports of the each switchable conduction path, and the OFF state providing a high impedance path between the respective two ports,
- b) in the ON state, provides an insertion loss between the respective two ports that is smaller than 3.5 dB at the frequency range, and
- c) in the OFF state, provides an isolation between the respective two ports, and between any of the respective two ports and any of the remaining ports of the N ports, that is greater than 40 dB at the frequency range.
6 more elements
A monolithically integrated N-port switch, comprising:
- N ports, each adapted to carry a radio frequency (RF) signal with a frequency content that is within a frequency range from DC to 50 GHz, N being an even number with N≥6;
- a plurality of switchable conduction paths, each selectively connecting and disconnecting respective two ports of the N ports, the plurality of switchable conduction paths comprising:
- i) N peripheral switchable conduction paths, each devoid of a crossing path with a different conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths;
- and
- ii) (N−3)+(N−3)*(N−2)/2 crossing switchable conduction paths crossing one another at a center region of the N-port switch by way of a single crossover structure formed over (N−3)+(N−3)*(N−2)/2 distinct metal layers,
- wherein each switchable conduction path of the plurality of switchable conduction paths:
- a) is configured to selectively operate in one of an ON state and an OFF state, the ON state providing a low impedance path between the respective two ports of the each switchable conduction path, and the OFF state providing a high impedance path between the respective two ports,
- b) in the ON state, provides an insertion loss between the respective two ports that is smaller than 3.5 dB at the frequency range, and
- c) in the OFF state, provides an isolation between the respective two ports, and between any of the respective two ports and any of the remaining ports of the N ports, that is greater than 40 dB at the frequency range.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.