Intrinsically microwave tunable resonator designed on silicon

• Published in: Electronics letters 2016-09, Vol.52 (20), p.1697-1699
• Main Authors: Allanic, R, Quéré, Y, Le Berre, D, Quendo, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: active element; Bias; circuit tuning; Diodes; distributed junction; doping levels; Electric potential; electromagnetic wave propagation; Electronics; elemental semiconductors; Engineering Sciences; frequency 2.1 GHz; frequency 3 GHz; frequency 4 Hz; insertion losses; intrinsically microwave tunable resonator; microwave resonators; Microwave technology; microwave tunable devices; Microwaves; Resonators; Semiconductors; semiconductors properties; silicon; silicon substrate; soldered components; stub; switchable diode; Voltage
• ISSN: 0013-5194; 1350-911X; 1350-911X
• DOI: 10.1049/el.2016.2554

The potential of an intrinsically microwave tunable resonator consisting in a switchable diode and a stub directly co-designed on the same silicon substrate is presented. Thanks to this substrate, the semiconductors properties can be associated directly to the electromagnetic wave propagation. Compared with the current technology, the absence of soldered components offers a great flexibility in the design of microwave tunable devices. The active element is based on an integrated and distributed N+PP+ junction which allows the tunability of the resonator by simply applying a low bias voltage. It is demonstrated that high doping levels of the diode and resonator can lead to good performances. Two stubs, switchable from open-ended (λ/2 at 4 and 3 GHz) to short-ended (λ/4 at 2.1 GHz) using a low bias voltage, were designed, fabricated and characterised. A good agreement was obtained between simulations and measurements and each resonator presents insertion losses lesser than 2 dB.