MICROWAVE SIGNAL SWITCHING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY OF NANOMETRIC SIZE, AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENT INCORPORATING SUCH A DEVICE

摘要

A device for switching an electrical signal, controlled by an optical wave and having an on state and an off state, which can be inserted into a microwave transmission line, comprises a semiconductor substrate on which two conductive tracks are formed, these tracks being separated by a gap providing electrical insulation between the two tracks and each being connected to an input port and an output port, in the on state the electrical contact between the two tracks being established by illuminating the substrate in the region of the gap by means of the optical wave, the input impedance and the output impedance of said switching device being mismatched to the impedance of the transmission line in the off state and are matched to the impedance of the transmission line in the on state.