Phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switching device with novel spreader design

A phase-change material (PCM) switching device, comprising:

• a base dielectric layer;
• a spreader element disposed in the base dielectric layer, wherein the spreader element extends in a first horizontal direction, and the spreader element has nonuniform widths in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction;
• a heater element disposed over the spreader element;
• a thermal barrier element disposed on the heater element;
• and
• a PCM layer disposed on the thermal barrier element.

A method of forming a phase-change material (PCM) switching device, the method comprising:

• forming a base dielectric layer;
• forming a spreader element in the base dielectric layer, wherein the spreader element extends in a first horizontal direction, and the spreader element has nonuniform widths in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction;
• forming a heater element over the spreader element;
• forming a thermal barrier element on the heater element;
• and
• forming a PCM layer on the thermal barrier element.