Millimeter-wave MMIC switches with pHEMT cells reduced parasitic inductance

High isolation millimeter-wave switches have been successfully developed using a newly developed line unified shunt pHEMT structure, which is effective to reduce parasitic inductance of its short circuit. The developed V-band SPDT switch shows an isolation of greater than 40 dB and an insertion loss of 1.8 dB at 60 GHz, and the W-band SP3T switch shows an isolation of greater than 35 dB and an insertion loss of 2.5 dB at 77 GHz. Input and output return losses are better than 12 dB in ON-state. These performances of high isolation and low insertion loss are the best among V-band and W-band pHEMT MMIC switches. The switches consume no DC power, and require no complex off-chip bias circuitry.