Investigation of integrated solid state nano‐ionic metal–insulator–metal switches for electronically reconfigurable band‐stop filter applications

Abstract

A proof of concept of application of Nano-Ionic Conductive-Bridging Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) switches in electronically reconfigurable band stop filters, through design, and experimental results are presented in this article. Two similar designs of band stop filters with different mechanism of operation are proposed herewith. One is a microstrip, resonant open stub based band stop filter and the other is a microstrip tuned shorted stub based band stop filter. Electrical length of the stubs in both these devices are tuned by an integrated MIM switch forcing them to resonate at different frequencies and thus achieving electronically switchable band stop filtering characteristics. Working mechanism of the devices is validated with the help of developed electrical equivalent circuit models. Analysis on time stability of switch states for 1000 minutes with affirmative results is also presented herewith. These devices are fabricated without any soldered electrical components and without the use of any clean room technologies, using proven low cost method, and are promising to work at very-low power and have the potential to be directly printed on low cost flexible substrates like paper, for potential disposable applications.