# US 10,312,901 B2 · Traveling-wave switch with multiple source nodes

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- Number: US 10,312,901 B2
- Document ID: US10312901B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/785,724
- Filed: 2017-10-17
- Published: 2019-04-18
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-17
- Assignees: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
- Applicants: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
- Inventors: Qun Xiao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312901B2

## CPC

- H03K 17/16: Modifications for eliminating interference voltages or currents
- H01P 1/15: by semiconductor devices
- H10D 86/00: Integrated devices formed in or on insulating or conducting substrates, e.g. formed in silicon-on-insulator [SOI] substrates or on stainless steel or glass substrates
- H10D 86/201: {the substrates comprising an insulating layer on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI (H10D86/40 take precedence)}
- H10W 44/20: at high-frequency [HF] or radio frequency [RF]
- H04B 1/40: Circuits
- H10D 84/82: of only field-effect components
- H10W 44/212: {Coaxial feed-throughs in substrates}
- H10W 44/216: {Waveguides, e.g. strip lines}
- H10W 44/251: {for monolithic microwave integrated circuits [MMIC]}
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a drain node, a plurality of source nodes and a gate node. The drain node may be configured to transfer a drain signal along a first axis from a first port to a second port. The source nodes may be (i) distributed along the first axis and (ii) configured to transfer a plurality of source signals along a second axis from the drain node to a ground node. The gate node may be (i) arranged in parallel to the drain node and (ii) configured to control the source signals in response to a gate voltage. The drain node, the source nodes and the gate node generally form a traveling-wave switch that blocks a slot mode current through the source nodes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a drain node configured to transfer a drain signal along a first axis from a first port to a second port;
a plurality of source nodes distributed along said first axis, formed to be electrically isolated from each other, and configured to transfer a plurality of source signals along a second axis from said drain node to a ground node; and
a gate node arranged in parallel to said drain node and configured to control said source signals in response to a gate voltage, wherein said drain node, said source nodes and said gate node form a traveling-wave switch that blocks a slot mode current through said source nodes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drain signal has a frequency in a range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an isolation from said first port to said second port is greater than −30 dB over said range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz while said gate voltage is active.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an insertion loss at said first port is at most 1.1 dB over said range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz while said gate voltage is active.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all of said source nodes are located on a same side of said drain node.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said source nodes are physically separated from each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said source nodes are located on both sides of said drain node.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein every other one of said source nodes is located on an opposite side of said drain node.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive plane configured to carry said source signals to said ground node, wherein said conductive plane is disposed on a side of a substrate opposite said source nodes.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of vias configured carry said source signals through said substrate from said source nodes to said conductive plane.

### Claim 11

A method for traveling-wave switching, comprising the step of:
transferring a drain signal along a first axis from a first port to a second port of a drain node;
transferring a plurality of source signals along a second axis from said drain node through a plurality of source nodes to a ground node, wherein said source nodes are distributed along said first axis and formed to be electrically isolated from each other; and
controlling said source signals in response to a gate voltage in a gate node, wherein said gate node is arranged in parallel to said drain node and said drain node, said source nodes and said gate node form a traveling-wave switch that blocks a slot mode current through said source nodes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein said drain signal has a frequency in a range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein an isolation from said first port to said second port is greater than −30 dB over said range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz while said gate voltage is active.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein an insertion loss at said first port is at most 1.1 dB over said range of 3 gigahertz to 70 gigahertz while said gate voltage is active.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein all of said source nodes are located on a same side of said drain node.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein said source nodes are physically separated from each other.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein said source nodes are located on both sides of said drain node.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein every other one of said source nodes is located on an opposite side of said drain node.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of: carrying said source signals to said ground node through a conductive plane, wherein said conductive plane is disposed on a side of a substrate opposite said source nodes.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of: carrying said source signals in a plurality of vias through said substrate from said source nodes to said conductive plane.