Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a phase-change material (PCM), a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM and extending outward and transverse to the PCM, a capacitive RF terminal, and an ohmic RF terminal. The capacitive RF terminal can include a first trench metal liner situated on a first passive segment of the PCM, and a dielectric liner separating the first trench metal liner from a first trench metal plug. The ohmic RF terminal can include a second trench metal liner situated on a second passive segment of the PCM, and a second trench metal plug ohmically connected to the second trench metal liner. Alternatively, the capacitive RF terminal and the ohmic RF terminal can include lower metal portions and upper metal portions. A MIM capacitor can be formed by the upper metal portion of the capacitive RF terminal, an insulator, and a patterned top plate.

Abstract: There are disclosed various implementations of an anode over cathode germanium and silicon photodiode including an N type silicon region formed in a silicon substrate, the N type silicon region being a cathode of the photodiode. In addition, the photodiode includes a P type germanium region situated over the N type silicon region, the P type germanium region being an anode of the photodiode. An anode contact of the photodiode is situated over the P type germanium region providing the anode. In some implementations, silicided cathode contacts are formed over the N type silicon region providing the cathode. In some implementations, a P type silicon cap is formed over the P type germanium region. In those implementations, a silicided anode contact may be situated on the P type silicon cap.

Abstract: A non-volatile adjustable phase shifter is coupled to a transceiver in a wireless communication device. The non-volatile adjustable phase shifter includes a non-volatile radio frequency (RF) switch. In one implementation, the non-volatile RF switch is a phase-change material (PCM) RF switch. In one approach, the non-volatile adjustable phase shifter includes a selectable transmission delay arm and a selectable transmission reference arm. A phase shift caused by the non-volatile adjustable phase shifter is adjusted when the non-volatile RF switch engages with or disengages from the selectable transmission delay arm. In another approach, the non-volatile adjustable phase shifter includes a selectable impedance element. A phase shift caused by the non-volatile adjustable phase shifter is adjusted when the non-volatile RF switch engages with or disengages from the selectable impedance element. In either approach, the phase shift changes a phase of RF signals being transmitted from or received by the transceiver.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a heating element and a thermally resistive material adjacent to sides of the heating element. A thermally conductive and electrically insulating material is situated on top of the heating element. A phase-change material (PCM) is situated over the thermally conductive and electrically insulating material. The PCM has an active segment overlying the thermally conductive and electrically insulating material, and passive segments underlying input/output contacts of the RF switch. The RF switch may include a bulk substrate heat spreader, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) handle wafer heat spreader, or an SOI top semiconductor heat spreader under the heating element.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a phase-change material (PCM), a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM and extending outward and transverse to the PCM, and RF terminals having lower metal portions and upper metal portions. At least one of the lower metal portions can be ohmically separated from and capacitively coupled to passive segments of the PCM, while the upper metal portions are ohmically connected to the lower metal portions. Alternatively, the lower metal portions can be ohmically connected to passive segments of the PCM, while a capacitor is formed in part by at least one of the upper metal portions. Alternatively, at least one of the RF terminals can have a trench metal liner separated from a trench metal plug by a dielectric liner. The trench metal liner can be ohmically connected to passive segments of the PCM, while the trench metal plug is ohmically separated from, but capacitively coupled to, the trench metal liner.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switching circuit includes stacked phase-change material (PCM) RF switches. Each of the PCM RF switches includes a PCM, a heating element transverse to the PCM, and first and second heating element contacts. The first heating element contact is coupled to an RF ground, and the second heating element contact may also be coupled to an RF ground. Each of the PCM RF switches can also include first and second PCM contacts. A compensation capacitor can be coupled across the first and second PCM contacts in at least one of the PCM RF switches.

Abstract: A rapid testing read out integrated circuit (ROIC) includes phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switches residing on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Each PCM RF switch includes a PCM and a heating element transverse to the PCM. The ASIC is configured to provide amorphizing and crystallizing electrical pulses to a selected PCM RF switch. The ASIC is also configured to determine if the selected PCM RF switch is in an OFF state or in an ON state. In one implementation, a testing method using the ASIC is disclosed.

Abstract: In fabricating a radio frequency (RF) switch, a phase-change material (PCM) and a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM are provided. A contact uniformity support layer is formed over the PCM. The PCM and the contact uniformity support layer are patterned. A contact dielectric is formed over the contact uniformity support layer. Slot lower portions of PCM contacts are formed extending through the contact dielectric and through the contact uniformity support layer, and connected to passive segments of the PCM. Wide upper portions of the PCM contacts are formed over the contact dielectric and over the slot lower portions of the PCM contacts. The contact dielectric separates the wide upper portions of the PCM contacts from the heating element so as to reduce parasitic capacitance of the RF switch. The contact uniformity support layer maintains a substantially constant thickness of the passive segments of the PCM.

Abstract: A test system includes a semiconductor die and an integrated optical/electrical probe card. Electrical, optical, and optoelectronic devices reside in the semiconductor die. Electrical pads in the semiconductor die connect to the electrical and optoelectronic devices. Grating couplers in the semiconductor die connect to the optical device and optoelectronic devices. The electrical pads and grating couplers are interspersed in substantially a single line in the semiconductor die. The integrated optical/electrical probe card interfaces with the electrical pads by electrical needles, and concurrently interfaces with the grating couplers by optical fibers.

Abstract: A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS transistor and a SOI heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) are fabricated on the same semiconductor substrate. First and second SOI regions are formed over the semiconductor substrate. A SOI CMOS transistor is fabricated in the first SOI region, and a collector region of the SOI HBT is fabricated in the second SOI region. The collector region can be formed by performing a first implant to a local collector region in the second SOI region, and performing a second implant to an extrinsic collector region in the second SOI region, wherein the extrinsic collector region is separated from the local collector region. A SiGe base is formed over the collector region, wherein a dielectric structure separates portions of the SiGe region and the extrinsic collector region. The SOI CMOS transistor and SOI HBT may be used to implement a front end module of an RF system.

Abstract: A circuit according to the present application includes a diode or other non-linear device coupled to a heating element of a phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switch. The diode or other non-linear device allows an amorphizing pulse or a crystallizing pulse to pass to a first terminal of the heating element. The diode or other non-linear device substantially prevents a pulse generator providing the amorphizing pulse or crystallizing pulse from interfering with RF signals at RF terminals of the PCM RF switch. In an array of PCM cells each including a diode or other non-linear device, the diode or other non-linear device substantially prevents sneak paths that would otherwise enable an amorphizing or crystallizing pulse intended for a heating element of a selected cell of the array to be provided to heating elements of unselected cells of the array.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a heating element, an aluminum nitride layer situated over the heating element, and a phase-change material (PCM) situated over the aluminum nitride layer. An inside segment of the heating element underlies an active segment of the PCM, and an intermediate segment of the heating element is situated between a terminal segment of the heating element and the inside segment of the heating element. The aluminum nitride layer situated over the inside segment of the heating element provides thermal conductivity and electrical insulation between the heating element and the active segment of the PCM. The aluminum nitride layer extends into the intermediate segment of the heating element and provides chemical protection to the intermediate segment of the heating element, such that the intermediate segment of the heating element remains substantially unetched and with substantially same thickness as the inside segment.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a phase-change material (PCM), a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM and extending outward and transverse to the PCM, a capacitive RF terminal, and an ohmic RF terminal. The capacitive RF terminal can include a first trench metal liner situated on a first passive segment of the PCM, and a dielectric liner separating the first trench metal liner from a first trench metal plug. The ohmic RF terminal can include a second trench metal liner situated on a second passive segment of the PCM, and a second trench metal plug ohmically connected to the second trench metal liner. Alternatively, the capacitive RF terminal and the ohmic RF terminal can include lower metal portions and upper metal portions. A MIM capacitor can be formed by the upper metal portion of the capacitive RF terminal, an insulator, and a patterned top plate.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switching circuit includes stacked phase-change material (PCM) RF switches. The stacked PCM RF switches can include a high shunt capacitance PCM RF switch having its heating element contacts near its PCM contacts, and a low shunt capacitance PCM RF switch having its heating element contacts far from its PCM contacts. An RF voltage is substantially uniformly distributed between the high shunt capacitance PCM RF switch and the low shunt capacitance PCM RF switch. The stacked PCM RF switches can also include a wide heating element PCM RF switch having a large PCM active segment, and a narrow heating element PCM RF switch having a small PCM active segment. The wide heating element PCM RF switch will have a higher breakdown voltage than the narrow heating element PCM RF switch.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein various implementations of a semiconductor device including a group III-V layer situated over a substrate, and a phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switch situated over the group III-V layer. The PCM RF switch couples a group III-V transistor situated over the group III-V layer to one of an integrated passive element or another group III-V transistor situated over the group III-V layer. The PCM RF switch includes a heating element transverse to the PCM, the heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM. The PCM RF switch is configured to be electrically conductive when the active segment of the PCM is in a crystalline state, and to be electrically insulative when the active segment of the PCM is in an amorphous state.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein various implementations of a photodiode including a silicon substrate, and an N type germanium region situated over the silicon substrate, the N type germanium region being a cathode of the photodiode. In addition, the photodiode includes a P type germanium region situated over the N type germanium region, the P type germanium region being an anode of the photodiode. The photodiode also includes a P type silicon cap over the P type germanium region, an anode contact of the photodiode situated on the P type silicon cap, and one or more cathode contacts of the photodiode electrically connected to the N type germanium region.

Abstract: In manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) switch, a heat spreader is provided. A first dielectric is deposited over the heat spreader. A trench is etched in the first dielectric. A heating element is deposited in the trench and over at least a portion of the first dielectric. A thermally conductive and electrically insulating material is deposited over at least the heating element, where the thermally conductive and electrically insulating material is self-aligned with the heating element. A conformability support layer is optionally deposited over the thermally conductive and electrically insulating material and the first dielectric. A phase-change material is deposited over the optional conformability support layer and the underlying thermally conductive and electrically insulating material and the first dielectric.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein various implementations of a photodiode including a silicon substrate, and an N type germanium region situated over the silicon substrate, the N type germanium region being a cathode of the photodiode. In addition, the photodiode includes a P type germanium region situated over the N type germanium region, the P type germanium region being an anode of the photodiode. The photodiode also includes a P type silicon cap over the P type germanium region, an anode contact of the photodiode situated on the P type silicon cap, and one or more cathode contacts of the photodiode electrically connected to the N type germanium region.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) switch includes a phase-change material (PCM), a heating element underlying an active segment of the PCM and extending outward and transverse to the PCM, and RF terminals having lower metal portions and upper metal portions. At least one of the lower metal portions can be ohmically separated from and capacitively coupled to passive segments of the PCM, while the upper metal portions are ohmically connected to the lower metal portions. Alternatively, the lower metal portions can be ohmically connected to passive segments of the PCM, while a capacitor is formed in part by at least one of the upper metal portions. Alternatively, at least one of the RF terminals can have a trench metal liner separated from a trench metal plug by a dielectric liner. The trench metal liner can be ohmically connected to passive segments of the PCM, while the trench metal plug is ohmically separated from, but capacitively coupled to, the trench metal liner.

Abstract: A rapid testing read out integrated circuit (ROIC) includes phase-change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switches residing on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Each PCM RF switch includes a PCM and a heating element transverse to the PCM. The ASIC is configured to provide amorphizing and crystallizing electrical pulses to a selected PCM RF switch. The ASIC is also configured to determine if the selected PCM RF switch is in an OFF state or in an ON state. In one implementation, a testing method using the ASIC is disclosed.