By leveraging a patented heterolithic microwave integrated circuit (HMIC) process, a family of broadband surface-mount switches promises to perform well even to 26 GHz. For example, the 1.5-x-2.2-mm chip-scale-packaged single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch, labeled the MASW-002103, achieves greater than 27 dB of isolation and exhibits less than 1 dB of insertion loss from 2 to 20 GHz. Its sibling, the single-pole, three-throw (SP3T) model MASW-003103, comes in a 1.65-x-2.06-mm chip-scale package. It offers greater than 30 dB of isolation while exhibiting less than 1.1 dB of insertion loss from 2 to 20 GHz. At 25 GHz, it typically suffers 1.4 dB of insertion loss and delivers 28 dB of isolation. The third member of the family is a 1.5-x-2.14-mm single-pole, four-throw (SP4T) solution dubbed MASW-004103, which achieves greater than 33 dB of isolation and suffers less than 1.3 dB of insertion loss from 2 to 20 GHz. It exhibits 1.6 dB of insertion loss and 30 dB of isolation to 24 GHz. All three switches can handle power levels to +38 dBm at 2 GHz and +33 dBm at 20 GHz.
M/A-COM Technology Solutions, Inc., 100 Chelmsford St., Lowell, MA 01851; (978) 656-2500, Internet: www.macomtech.com.