Optimized RF Switching Device Architecture for Impedance Control Applications

摘要

A switch architecture having open reflective unselected ports. Signals can be selectively coupled between a common port and at least one selectable port through series connected switches. When one or more port is selected, the remaining ports are opened. In addition, associated “shuntable” switches from each of the selectable ports to ground are always open, regardless of the ON or OFF state of the series switches; thus, there is no normally active connection of the selectable ports to ground, but the presence of the shuntable switches provides electrostatic discharge protection for all ports. Embodiments of the invention allow configurability between a traditional architecture and an open reflective unselected port architecture, and include integrated circuit and field effect transistor embodiments.

主权项

1. A switching device having open reflective unselected ports, including:
(a) at least one series switch, each series switch being coupled to a common port and to an associated selectable port such that selection of at least one series switch electrically couples the common port to the selectable port associated with each such selected series switch, and decouples the common port from all unselected selectable ports; and (b) for each series switch, an associated shuntable switch, each shuntable switch being coupled between ground and the selectable port associated with such associated series switch, wherein each shuntable switch is configured to be electrically non-conductive at all times to signals below a breakdown voltage threshold of such shuntable switch and electrically conductive to signals above such breakdown voltage threshold.