Nanoscale memristive radiofrequency switches

Abstract

Radiofrequency switches are critical components in wireless communication systems and consumer electronics. Emerging devices include switches based on microelectromechanical systems and phase-change materials. However, these devices suffer from disadvantages such as large physical dimensions and high actuation voltages. Here we propose and demonstrate a nanoscale radiofrequency switch based on a memristive device. The device can be programmed with a voltage as low as 0.4 V and has an ON/OFF conductance ratio up to 10 12 with long state retention. We measure the radiofrequency performance of the switch up to 110GHz and demonstrate low insertion loss (0.3dB at 40GHz), high isolation (30dB at 40GHz), an average cutoff frequency of 35THz and competitive linearity and power-handling capability. Our results suggest that, in addition to their application in memory and computing, memristive devices are also a leading contender for radiofrequency switch applications.