Telecommunications switch array with thyristor addressing

An apparatus for switching microwave signals, comprising:

• a plurality of thyristors, each thyristor including a plurality of semiconductor layers, a lower conducting surface and an upper conducting surface, and the semiconductor layers including at least one semi-insulating layer;
• a substrate, the substrate having an upper surface on which the thyristors are disposed;
• a lower metallization layer disposed on the upper surface of the substrate, the lower metallization layer being substantially planar and defining a plurality of input lines that are connected to lower conducting surfaces of the thyristors, each thyristor being connected to one of the input lines;
• a dielectric layer disposed on the upper surface of the substrate;
• and
• an upper metallization layer disposed on an upper surface of the dielectric layer, the upper metallization layer being substantially planar and defining a plurality of output lines that are connected to upper conducting surfaces of the thyristors, each thyristor being connected to one of the output lines,
• wherein the input lines and the output lines carry both microwave signals and control signals for controlling each of the plurality of thyristors.

A method for making a microwave switch array, comprising:

• growing a plurality of semiconductor layers on an upper surface of a substrate, the semiconductor layers including at least one semi-insulating layer;
• etching a plurality of thyristors in the semiconductor layers, each thyristor being configured as a mesa having an upper conducting surface and a lower conducting surface;
• adding a lower metallization layer onto the upper surface of the substrate, the lower metallization layer defining a plurality of input lines that are connected to lower conducting surfaces of the thyristors, each thyristor being connected to one of the input lines;
• adding a dielectric layer onto the upper surface of the substrate;
• and
• adding an upper metallization layer onto an upper surface of the dielectric layer, the upper metallization layer defining a plurality of output lines that are connected to upper conducting surfaces of the thyristors, each thyristor being connected to one of the output lines,
• wherein the input lines and the output lines carry both microwave signals and control signals for controlling each of the plurality of thyristors.

An apparatus for switching optical signals, comprising:

• an optical-to-electrical converter, the optical-to-electrical converter operating to receive input optical signals and to generate incoming microwave signals corresponding thereto;
• an input correction unit connected to the optical-to-electrical converter, the input correction unit including a combination of circuits selected from the group consisting of reshaping circuits, retiming circuits, error-correction circuits and leveling circuits, and the input correction unit operating to receive incoming microwave signals and to generate input microwave signals corresponding thereto;
• a microwave switch array connected to the input correction unit, the microwave switch array including a plurality of input lines, a plurality of output lines, and a plurality of thyristors, each thyristor having a lower conducting surface that is electrically connected to one of the input lines and an upper conducting surface that is electrically connected to one of the output lines, and
• the microwave switch array operating to receive input microwave signals and to generate output microwave signals corresponding thereto, wherein the input lines and the output lines carry both microwave signals and control signals for controlling each of the plurality of thyristors;
• an output correction unit connected to the microwave switch array;
• the output correction unit including a combination of circuits selected from the group consisting of reshaping circuits, retiming circuits, error-correction circuits and leveling circuits, and the output correction unit operating to receive output microwave signals and to generate outgoing microwave signals corresponding thereto;
• and
• an electrical-to-optical converter connected to the output correction unit, the electrical-to-optical converter operating to receive outgoing microwave signals and to generate output optical signals corresponding thereto, wherein
• a selected thyristor transmits a microwave signal between a selected input line and a selected output line in an ON state and blocks the microwave signal between the selected input line and the selected output line in an OFF state.

A PIN diode for switching microwave signals, comprising:

• a first layer disposed on a substrate, the first layer including semiconductor material doped as n, and a surface of the first layer defining an anode;
• a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer including semiconductor material doped as a semi-insulating layer;
• a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer including semiconductor material doped as p, and a surface of the third layer defining a cathode;
• and
• a common electrode for carrying both microwave signals and control signals for controlling the PIN diode,
• wherein the semiconductor material of the first layer and the third layer comprises a heterojunction material with a bandgap larger than the semiconductor material of the second layer, and
• wherein the PIN diode transmits a microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an ON state and blocks the microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an OFF state.

An apparatus for switching microwave signals, comprising:

• a first layer disposed on a substrate, the first layer including semiconductor material doped as n+, and a surface of the first layer defining an anode;
• a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer including semiconductor material doped as p;
• a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer including semiconductor material doped as a semi-insulating layer;
• a fourth layer disposed on the third layer, the fourth layer including semiconductor material doped as n;
• a fifth layer disposed on the fourth layer, the fifth layer including semiconductor material doped as a semi-insulating layer;
• a sixth layer disposed on the fifth layer, the sixth layer including semiconductor material doped as p+, and a surface of the sixth layer defining a cathode;
• and
• a common electrode for carrying both microwave signals and control signals for controlling the apparatus, wherein
• the apparatus transmits a microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an ON state and blocks the microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an OFF state.

An apparatus for switching microwave signals, comprising:

• a first layer disposed on a substrate, the first layer including semiconductor material doped as p+, and a surface of the first layer defining an anode;
• a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer including semiconductor material doped as n;
• a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer including semiconductor material doped as a semi-insulating layer;
• a fourth layer disposed on the third layer, the fourth layer including semiconductor material doped as p;
• a fifth layer disposed on the fourth layer, the fifth layer including semiconductor material doped as a semi-insulating layer;
• a sixth layer disposed on the fifth layer, the sixth layer including semiconductor material doped as n+, and a surface of the sixth layer defining a cathode;
• and
• a common electrode for carrying both microwave signals and control signals for controlling the apparatus, wherein
• the apparatus transmits a microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an ON state and blocks the microwave signal between the anode and the cathode in an OFF state.

An apparatus for switching microwave signals, comprising:

• a plurality of thyristors, wherein each of the plurality of thyristors comprises:
• a plurality of semiconductor layers disposed on a substrate;
• a first surface defining an anode;
• a second surface defining a cathode;
• a common input electrode for carrying both microwave signals and control signals for controlling the thyristor;
• and
• a common output electrode for carrying both microwave signals and control signals,
• wherein a selected thyristor transmits a microwave signal between the anode and the cathode of the selected thyristor in an ON state and blocks the microwave signal between the anode and the cathode of the selected thyristor in an OFF state.