High speed switching arrays for moderate pulse reflectometry applications (abstract)

Moderate pulse reflectometry requires the efficient (low loss) gating/switching (∼100 - 300 ps rise times) of millimeter wave pulses with a high on/off contrast ratio. To satisfy this need, high speed switches utilizing beam control array technology are under development at U.C. Davis. A quasioptical planar grid switch array comprised of hundreds of Schottky varactor diodes embedded within an overmoded waveguide, is capable of generating the requisite 100 - 300 ps switching times with Watt-level power handling capabilities. A proof-of-principle, high speed V-band switch array has been constructed with excellent agreement between theory and experiment. Less than 1.6 dB insertion loss and >16 dB on/off contrast ratio are measured at 61.5 GHz, with rise and fall times of <127 ps. An instantaneous bandwidth >7 GHz (contrast ratio >15 dB) has also been measured. A discussion will also be presented on designs at frequencies up to 170 GHz. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics