Microwave GaAs FET Switching

Microwave switching using GaAs field effect transistors offers very high speed and low drive control power. Using arrays of such FETs, an 8 x 8 switch matrix was constructed for 4 GHz SS-TDMA spacecraft applications which achieved 1 ns transition time at 10 mW drive control power. Matrix isolation over 500 MHz bandwidth was 50 dB.