# US 2014/0191181 A1 · Method to make rf-pcm switches and circuits with phase-change materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191181 A1 - Document ID: US20140191181A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/737,441 - Filed: 2013-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: HRL Laboratories, LLC - Applicants: Hrl Laboratories,LLC - Inventors: Jeung-Sun Moon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191181A1 ## CPC - H10N 70/231: {based on solid-state phase change, e.g. between amorphous and crystalline phases, Ovshinsky effect} - H01P 3/00: Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type - H10B 63/20: {comprising selection components having two electrodes, e.g. diodes} - H10B 63/80: {Arrangements comprising multiple bistable or multi-stable switching components of the same type on a plane parallel to the substrate, e.g. cross-point arrays} - H10N 70/011: {Manufacture or treatment of multistable switching devices} - H10N 70/253: {having three or more electrodes, e.g. transistor-like devices} - H10N 70/826: {adapted for essentially vertical current flow, e.g. sandwich or pillar type devices} - H10N 70/841: {Electrodes} - H10N 70/8828: {Tellurides, e.g. GeSbTe} - H10N 79/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one solid-state element covered by group H10N70/00 (ReRAM devices H10B63/00; PCRAM devices H10B63/10) - H01P 1/15: by semiconductor devices - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) - H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES ## Abstract A radio frequency switch includes a first transmission line, a second transmission line, a first electrode electrically coupled to the first transmission line, a second electrode electrically coupled to the second transmission line, and a phase change material, the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material and the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material. When a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line. The radio frequency switch is integrated on a substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radio frequency switch comprising: a first transmission line; a second transmission line; a first electrode electrically coupled to the first transmission line; a second electrode electrically coupled to the second transmission line; and a phase change material, the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material and the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material; wherein when a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line; and wherein the radio frequency switch is integrated on a substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further comprising: a first conductor connected to the phase change material and connected to the first transmission line, the first conductor being between the phase change material and the first transmission line; and a second conductor connected to the phase change material and connected to the second transmission line, the second conductor being between the phase change material and the second transmission line; wherein the first and second conductors comprise titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), or any metal that does not form an alloy with the phase change material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further comprising: wherein the second transmission line is formed on the substrate; and an insulator formed on the substrate and between the first transmission line and the second transmission line to reduce parasitic capacitive coupling between the first and second transmission lines; wherein the substrate comprises silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire, pyrex, gallium arsenide (GaAs), GaN, InAs, InSb, InP or any other III-V material; and wherein the insulator comprises silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), benzo-cyclo-butene (BCB), or any low-k dielectric insulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further comprising: a first capacitor coupled in series to the first transmission line for preventing current and voltage on the first electrode from transmitting on the first transmission line; and a second capacitor coupled in series to the second transmission line for preventing current and voltage on the second electrode from transmitting on the second transmission line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further comprising: a first inductor coupled in series to the first electrode for preventing a radio frequency signal on the first transmission line from transmitting on the first electrode; and a second inductor coupled in series to the second electrode for preventing a radio frequency signal on the second transmission line from transmitting on the second electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein when a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes from an amorphous high resistance material to a crystalline low resistance material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein: the phase change material comprises GexTe1-x, GexSbyTez, or derivatives of GexTe1-x or GexSbyTez. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein: the first and second transmission lines are radio frequency transmission lines. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency switch is connected to external capacitors and inductors in a planar configuration or in a three dimensional configuration. ### Claim 10 A radio frequency switch comprising: a first transmission line; a second transmission line; a first electrode; a second electrode; and a phase change material; the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material, the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material, the first electrode coupled to a third area of the phase change material, and the second electrode coupled to a fourth area of the phase change material; wherein when a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line; and wherein the radio frequency switch is integrated on a substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 further comprising: a first conductor connected to the third area of the phase change material and connected to the first electrode, the first conductor being between the phase change material and the first electrode; and a second conductor connected to the fourth area of the phase change material and connected to the second electrode, the second conductor being between the phase change material and the second electrode; wherein the first and second conductors comprise titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), or any metal that does not form an alloy with the phase change material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 further comprising: wherein the second electrode is formed on the substrate; and an insulator formed on the substrate and between the substrate and the first and second transmission lines to reduce parasitic capacitive coupling between the first and second transmission lines; wherein the substrate comprises silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire, pyrex, gallium arsenide (GaAs), GaN, InAs, InSb, InP or any other III-V material; and wherein the insulator comprises silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), benzo-cyclo-butene (BCB), or any low-k dielectric insulator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 further comprising: a first capacitor coupled in series to the first transmission line for preventing current and voltage on the first electrode from transmitting on the first transmission line; and a second capacitor coupled in series to the second transmission line for preventing current and voltage on the second electrode from transmitting on the second transmission line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 further comprising: a first inductor coupled in series to the first electrode for preventing a radio frequency signal on the first transmission line from transmitting on the first electrode; and a second inductor coupled in series to the second electrode for preventing a radio frequency signal on the second transmission line from transmitting on the second electrode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 wherein: the phase change material comprises GexTe1-x, GexSbyTez, or derivatives of GexTe1-x or GexSbyTez. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 wherein: the first and second transmission lines are radio frequency transmission lines. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The radio frequency switch of claim 10 wherein the radio frequency switch is connected to external capacitors and inductors in a planar configuration or in a three dimensional configuration. ### Claim 18 A method of making a radio frequency switch comprising: forming an insulator on a substrate; forming a first transmission line on the insulator and coupled to a first area of a phase change material; forming a second transmission line on the insulator and coupled to a second area of the phase change material; forming a first conductor connected to a third area of the phase change material; forming a first electrode connected to the first conductor; forming a second conductor connected to a fourth area of the phase change material; and forming a second electrode connected to the second conductor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein: the substrate comprises silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire, pyrex, gallium arsenide (GaAs), GaN, InAs, InSb, InP or any other III-V material; the insulator comprises silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), benzo-cyclo-butene (BCB), or any low-k dielectric insulator; the first and second conductors comprise titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), or any metal that does not form an alloy with the phase change material; and the phase change material comprises GexTe1-x, GexSbyTez, or derivatives of GexTe1-x or GexSbyTez. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein: the first and second transmission lines are radio frequency transmission lines. ### Claim 21 A reconfigurable circuit comprising; a first circuit comprising at least a first radio frequency switch integrated with circuitry comprising GaN based transistors or III-IV bipolar transistors; the first radio frequency switch comprising: a first transmission line; a second transmission line; a first electrode; a second electrode; and a phase change material; wherein the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material, the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material, the first electrode coupled to a third area of the phase change material, and the second electrode coupled to a fourth area of the phase change material; and wherein when a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The reconfigurable circuit of claim 21 comprising; a second circuit comprising at least a second radio frequency switch integrated with circuitry comprising GaN based transistors or III-IV bipolar transistors; the second radio frequency switch comprising: a first transmission line; a second transmission line; a first electrode; a second electrode; and a phase change material; wherein the first transmission line coupled to a first area of the phase change material, the second transmission line coupled to a second area of the phase change material, the first electrode coupled to a third area of the phase change material, and the second electrode coupled to a fourth area of the phase change material; wherein when a direct current is sent from the first electrode to the second electrode through the phase change material, the phase change material changes state from a high resistance state to a low resistance state allowing transmission from the first transmission line to the second transmission line; and at least one conductor connected between the first circuit and the second circuit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The reconfigurable circuit of claim 22 wherein the first circuit is stacked on top of the second circuit to form a three dimensional circuit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The compact reconfigurable circuit of claim 21 wherein the conductors are metal vias.