M/A-COM Technology Solutions Inc. introduced a new HMIC^™ silicon PIN diode SPDT switch for military, commercial and weather radar applications. 

The MASW-011021 is a Surmount (Surface Mountable) X-Band monolithic SPDT switch designed for high power and high performance applications. The surface-mount chipscale configuration is designed with minimal parasitic inductances and capacitances that are usually associated with hybrid MIC designs. The device is fabricated using M/A-COM Tech’s patented HMIC PIN diode based process.

“As we work to expand our X-Band portfolio of products, this switch fills an integral position in common radar architectures,” said Scott Vasquez, Aerospace and Defense product manager. “This device provides high reliability and repeatability in a compact size and with a high power handling level of 20 Watts.”

Packaged as a surface mountable die, the MASW-011021 boasts low insertion loss of 0.65 dB and a high input to output isolation at 36 dB. Selective backside metallization is applied to the switch, producing a surface mount device. The topside is fully encapsulated with silicon nitride and has an additional polymer layer for scratch and impact protection. These protective coatings prevent damage during handling and assembly.