Reversible metal-semiconductor transitions for microwave switching applications

This letter presents an original approach regarding the switching at high frequencies using reversible metal-semiconductor transitions displayed by various materials termed as Mott materials. The Mott materials experience a reversible semiconductor-metal transition when an external parameter (temperature, dc bias, hydrogenation, etc.) is varied. This transition can be used to allow or to stop the propagation of high-frequency fields, when a thin film of a Mott material is integrated with a planar high-frequency waveguide. This effect could have important applications in the area of communications, computing, and sensors.

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