RF switches are an essential building block in numerous applications, including tactical radar systems, satellite communications, global positioning systems (GPS), automotive radars, wireless communications, radio astronomy, radar transceivers, and various instrumentation systems. For many of these applications the circuits have to operate reliably under extreme operating conditions, including conditions outside the domain of commercial military specifications. The objective of this thesis is to present the design procedure, simulation, and measurement results for Radio Frequency (RF) switches in 130 nm Silicon Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process technology. The novelty of this work lies in the proposed new topology of an ultrahigh-isolation single-pole, single-throw (SPST) and a single pole, four-throw (SP4T) nMOS based switch for multiband microwave radar systems. The analysis of cryogenic temperature effects on these circuits and devices are discussed in this work. The results shows that several key-figures-of-merits of a switch, like insertion loss, isolation, and power handling capability (P1dB) improve at cryogenic temperatures. These results are important for several applications, including space-based extreme environment application where FET based circuits would need to operate reliably across a wide-range of temperature.

The ability to control the path a signal takes through microwave circuitry is crucial when designing RF systems. The component that allows for the control of the signal path is called a switch, and it is the microwave component that this thesis will focus on. Switches are widely used in the growing defense and space industries, both of which have strict requirements on their systems. This thesis aims to investigate four switch topologies and compare them to establish which topology is most suitable in high-performance systems where high isolation and wide bandwidths are essential parameters. The different topologies were simulated using Cadence AWR Microwave Studio to evaluate the parameters of interest. Built-in models for PIN diodes were employed to capture the nonlinear nature of the diodes and quantify the linearity of the switches. Measurements of PIN diodes using a spectrum analyzer and a vector network analyzer were used to confirm that the models of the PIN diode resembled the actual characteristics of PIN diodes. Out of the four topologies investigated, the series, shunt, series-shunt and double shunt, it was concluded that the series-shunt topology was most suitable for wideband multiple-throw switches. The double shunt topology was more suitable for SPST switches and narrowband SPDT switches. From this thesis, it will be possible to conclude which topology is most suitable for a particular need and what key design parameters will impact the switch’s performance. / Förmågan att styra vägen en signal tar genom mikrovågskretsar är en avgörande förmåga i konstruktionen av de flesta RF-system. Komponenten som tillåter styrning av signalvägen kallas en omkopplare och är den mikrovågskomponent som detta examensarbete kommer att fokusera på. RFomkopplare kan realiseras på många olika sätt och kan integreras i flera typer av vågledande strukturer såsom mikrostrips, striplines och vågledare. Omkopplingselementen kan realiseras på många sätt, med användning av transistorer och dioder är de mest etablerade sätten. Sådana omkopplare används i stor utsträckning inom försvars- och rymdindustrin som båda har strikta krav på dess komponenter. Avhandlingen syftar därför till att undersöka ett antal switchtopologier och jämföra dessa för att fastställa vilken topologi som är mest lämplig i högpresterande system där hög isolering och breda bandbredder är viktiga parametrar. De olika topologierna simulerades med hjälp av Cadence AWR Microwave Studio för att utvärdera parametrarna av intresse. Den inbyggda modellen för PIN-dioder användes också för att fånga diodernas olinjära natur för att kvantifiera omkopplarnas linjäritet. Mätningar av PIN-dioder med användning av en spektrumanalysator och en Nätverksanalysator gjordes för att bekräfta att modellerna av PIN-dioderna efterliknade PIN-diodernas faktiska beteende. Det fastslogs att series-shunt-topologin var mest lämpad för bredbandsomkopplare med flera utgångar. Dubbel-shunt-topologin var mer lämplig i SPSTomkopplare och i smalbandiga SPDT-omkopplare. Från detta examensarbete kommer det att vara möjligt att dra slutsatser kring vilken topologi som är mest lämplig för ett särskilt behov tillsammans med vilka designparametrar som kommer att påverka omkopplarens prestanda.

State-of-the-art SiGe BiCMOS technologies leverage the maturity of deep-submicron silicon CMOS processing with bandgap-engineered SiGe HBTs in a single platform that is suitable for a wide variety of high performance and highly-integrated applications (e.g., system-on-chip (SOC), system-in-package (SiP)). Due to their bandgap-engineered base, SiGe HBTs are also naturally suited for cryogenic electronics and have the potential to replace the costly de facto technologies of choice (e.g., Gallium-Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium-Phosphide (InP)) in many cryogenic applications such as radio astronomy. This work investigates the response of mixed-signal circuits (both RF and analog circuits) when operating in extreme environments, in particular, at cryogenic temperatures and in radiation-rich environments. The ultimate goal of this work is to attempt to fill the existing gap in knowledge on the cryogenic and radiation response (both single event transients (SETs) and total ionization dose (TID)) of specific RF and analog circuit blocks (i.e., RF switches and voltage references). The design approach for different RF switch topologies and voltage references circuits are presented. Standalone Field Effect Transistors (FET) and SiGe HBTs test structures were also characterized and the results are provided to aid in the analysis and understanding of the underlying mechanisms that impact the circuits' response. Radiation mitigation strategies to counterbalance the damaging effects are investigated. A comprehensive study on the impact of cryogenic temperatures on the RF linearity of SiGe HBTs fabricated in a new 4th-generation, 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology is also presented.