Millimeter-wave cut-off switch

摘要

A millimeter-wave cut-off switch in a dielectric waveguide having a semi-insulating core and a semi-conducting epitaxial layer. A controller affixed to the epitaxial layer is alternately switched to vary the conductivity of the epitaxial layer thereby influencing wave propagation in the waveguide. When the waveguide is properly dimensioned such that the operating frequency lies in the high-loss section near the cut-off frequency on the loss vs. frequency characteristic curve, an applied reverse bias voltage produces a switching function in the loss characteristics associated with the wave propagating in the guide thereby resulting in low-loss propagation.