Tunable Inductors Based on Phase-Change RF Switches

In this project, tunable inductors using the indirectly heated four-terminal PCM RF switch will be designed and simulated. The inductor will be designed based on the PCM fabrication process so that it can be eventually fabricated and tested.

Project description:

Recently, RF switches based on phase-change materials (PCM) have emerged as promising candidates for high-performance RF switches due to their superb transmission properties, small footprint, low switching time and energy, scalability, CMOS compatibility, and non-volatility. Therefore, they can provide tunable capabilities to back-end devices, such as the RF inductors. We are currently developing the fabrication process of the PCM RF switch here, at the Technion facilities.
In this project, tunable inductors using the indirectly heated four-terminal PCM RF switch will be designed and simulated. The inductor will be designed based on the PCM fabrication process so that it can be eventually fabricated and tested.
Schedule:
• Study the working principles of the PCM RF switch and RF inductor design.
• Design and simulations of different topologies of tunable inductors using ADS/HFSS.
• Measurements of the fabricated inductor (TBD).
Prerequisites: Linear Circuits (required), RF CMOS Integrated Circuits (recommended)
Supervisor: Nicolas Wainstein, nicolasw@campus.technion.ac.il