VO_x-Based Non-Volatile Radio-Frequency Switches for Reconfigurable Filter

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Vanadium oxide (VOx) memristors are suitable for non-volatile memory and radio-frequency (RF) switches.
• Integration with wafer-level processes and high-frequency operation are key advantages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate high-performance VOx memristors using gold and silver electrodes.
• To evaluate their potential for advanced RF switches and reconfigurable filters.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of VOx memristors with gold (Au) and silver (Ag) electrodes.
• Characterization of device performance, including retention, endurance, and switching speed.
• Integration of memristors into RF switches and a reconfigurable bandpass filter.

Main Results:

• Achieved higher cutoff frequencies compared to previous VOx devices.
• Demonstrated RF switches with a cutoff frequency of ~4.5 THz, low insertion loss (<0.46 dB), and high isolation (>20 dB) up to 67 GHz.
• Developed a reconfigurable X-band bandpass filter with a tunable range of ~600 MHz.

Conclusions:

• High-performance VOx memristors are viable for next-generation RF applications.
• These devices enable compact and versatile RF front-ends with enhanced frequency agility.
• The demonstrated reconfigurable filter showcases the potential for advanced communication systems.