Non-Volatile CBRAM/MIM Switching Technology for Electronically Reconfigurable Passive Microwave Devices

Conclusion

We have presented the design and realization of a new generation of passive radio frequency (RF) and microwave devices based on non-volatile solid-state conductive bridging random access memory/metal insulator metal (CBRAM/MIM) RF switching technology. The presented RF switches and electronically reconfigurable RF and microwave devices using these integrated switches could benefit every field of RF electronics and especially as an important solution for low-cost stand-alone devices for the Internet of things (IoT) and fifth-generation cellular communication (5G) related applications.

The proposed switching technology and passive RF devices are fabricated using a low-cost and simple in-house process, which is compatible with mass productions in an industrial setup on both rigid and flexible substrates. The proposed techniques do not require a full-time “clean room” environment for their fabrication process; in the experiments related to this book a clean room support is utilized only to troubleshoot problems and benchmark the quality of the chosen realization process. Similarly, in an industrial environment, once a process is optimized for a device, it could be fabricated without any clean room support.

In the first chapter, we presented in detail the most relevant RF switching technologies at present, their principles of operation and modes of application, with the help of classified illustrations. The differences between classically used volatile switching solutions ...