US5086329A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Planar gallium arsenide NPNP microwave switch
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1990-07-27
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Granted: 1992-02-04
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Expires: 2010-07-27
Abstract
Abstract A microwave switch is provided for controlling the transmission of microw energy in a microstrip transmission line structure. The microwave switch comprises an electrically conducting ground plane in contact with one side of an undoped semiconductor material having on its other side a superlattice of gallium arsenide consisting of a periodic sequence of p- and n-doped gallium arsenide layers. P- and n-type regions are formed integral with and electrically connected to the superlattice, and first and second microstrip transmission lines are electrically connected to respective ones of the n- and p-type regions.
Inventors
- 👤 Harvey S. Newman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:03
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/81; H10D62/815; H10D62/8171; H01; H01P; H01P1/00; H01P1/10; H01P1/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A microwave switch for controlling the transmission of microwave energy in a microstrip structure, said microwave switch comprising: a planar electrically conducting ground plane; an undoped semiconducting material in contact with said ground plane; a plurality of epitaxially grown layers of a semiconducting material disposed on said undoped semiconducting material, said plurality of epitaxially grown layers being alternately doped with different dopants to form interleaved p- and n-type layers, the thickness of said grown layers and the amount of dopants contained in said grown layers being balanced to provide a superlattice which is fully compensated and is fully depleted of free-charge carriers; p- and n-regions formed integral with said superlattice so that said superlattice electrically connects said p- and n-regions; and first and second microstrip transmission lines electrically connected to said p- and n-regions, respectively.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A microwave switch for controlling the transmission of microwave energy in a microstrip structure, said microwave switch comprising: a planar electrically conducting ground plane; an undoped semiconducting material in contact with said ground plane; a plurality of epitaxially grown layers of a semiconducting material disposed on said undoped semiconducting material, said plurality of epitaxially grown layers being alternately doped with different dopants to form interleaved p- and n-type layers, the thickness of said grown layers and the amount of dopants contained in said grown layers being balanced to provide a superlattice which is fully compensated and is fully depleted of free-charge carriers; p- and n-regions formed integral with said superlattice so that said superlattice electrically connects said p- and n-regions; and first and second microstrip transmission lines electrically connected to said p- and n-regions, respectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: said ground plane is a metallic layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The microwave switch of claim 2 wherein: said metallic layer comprises gold or copper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The microwave switch of claim 2 further including: a film layer of chromium disposed between said conducting ground plane and said undoped semiconducting material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: said undoped semiconducting material is undoped gallium arsenide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: said superlattice is formed of a periodic sequence of p- and n-doped gallium arsenide layers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The microwave switch of claim 6 wherein: the dopant in said n-region is selected from the group consisting of silicon and tin; and the dopant in said p-region is selected from the group consisting of beryllium and zinc.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: the density of the dopant in said n-region is at least 10 +18 atoms of dopant/cm 3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: the density of the dopant in said p-region is at least 10 +18 atoms of dopant/cm 3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: the thickness of each of the individual layers of said superlattice is from about 20-40 nm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: said superlattice is from about 1-2 μm in thickness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: in said superlattice the product of the thickness of an n-type layer and its associated dopant concentration therein substantially equals the product of the thickness of a p-type layer and its associated dopant concentration therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: the p-and n-regions are comprised of doped gallium arsenide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The microwave switch of claim 13 wherein: said n- region is doped with silicon or tin; and said p-region is doped with beryllium or zinc.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The microwave switch of claim 17 wherein: said aluminum gallium arsenide layer is at least 2500 Å thick.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 further including: a passivating layer disposed on said superlattice for inhibiting surface recombination.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave switch of claim 16 wherein: said passivating layer is comprised of aluminum gallium arsenide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The microwave switch of claim 1 wherein: each of said first and second microstrip transmission lines is a metal layer formed on said undoped semiconducting material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The microwave switch of claim 18 wherein: said metal layer is comprised of gold or copper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The microwave switch of claim 18 further including: first and second chromium layers disposed between respective ones of said first and second microstrip transmission lines and said undoped semiconducting material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The microwave switch of claim 18 wherein: each of said first and second transmission lines is at least about 2 μm in thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The microwave switch of claim 18 wherein: each of said first and second microstrip transmission lines and said ground plane has a thickness of at least 4 skin depths to prevent excessive loss of microwave energy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-08-05 | 1996-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-03 | 1999-08-05 | 2000-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-03 | 2003-08-05 | 2004-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |