Menlo Micro Unveils Latest Series of RF/Microwave Switches that Perform Beyond 20GHz

June 03, 2019 marks another major milestone in the history of Menlo Micro with the introduction of their latest series of RF/microwave switches. This week at IMS, the company responsible for re-inventing the electronic switch with its Ideal Switch technology announced that it is sampling their MM51xx series of products. These new products, which operate at high power with ultra-low RF losses, and in a miniaturized surface-mount package, bring unprecedented performance improvements as compared to electromechanical and solid-state RF switches. 

The MM5130 SP4T switch is designed to handle power levels up to 25W and demonstrates less than 0.6dB of loss at 12GHz, with 3dB performance beyond 20GHz. The MM5120 incorporates an integrated driver to facilitate switch control. This type of RF performance is usually reserved for large RF mechanical relays, which are 50x larger, 1000x slower and 1000x less reliable than products manufactured with Menlo Micro’s Ideal Switch technology. In addition, the MM51xx series features extreme linearity and harmonic performance, in many cases +30dB to +40dB better than solid-state, all with high power handling capability and stable performance over much broader bandwidths, down to DC.

These attributes make the MM51xx series very attractive solutions for low-loss switched filter banks, tunable filters, step attenuators, and even beam steering antennas for a variety of radio architectures in both commercial and military communications networks. The high-channel density and low losses make them ideal for ultra-compact switch matrices for test and measurement applications.

Menlo Micro’s partnership with Corning Incorporated, leaders in Through Glass Via (TGV) packaging technology, has enabled a truly unique package design for RF switches.  Menlo Micro’s metal-to-metal contact switch, constructed on a fully-isolating glass substrate and shrunk down to the form factor of a solid-state device, reduces parasitics and increases RF performance.

According to Chris Giovanniello, SVP of worldwide marketing for Menlo Micro, “This most recent series of RF/microwave designs is the beginning of what we will be able to do with our Ideal Switch technology platform. In the case of the MM5130, we are bringing an enormous performance improvement in a very small (<7mm²) package, but our roadmap will continue to increase the density and RF performance in the years to come. Our biggest opportunity is in helping companies reduce the size, weight and power dissipation in a wide variety of RF front-end architectures. We are excited to see what RF systems designers will be able to accomplish when they get their hands on the technology.”

This week at IMS in Boston – in collaboration with industry partners –  Menlo Micro's RF Applications Team will demonstrate the MM51xx series of products and a few of the many applications for these high-performance switches, including very low-loss switched filter banks ideal for 5G infrastructure, military and commercial applications. Menlo Micro can be found in booth #191 on the show floor.

About Menlo Micro

Menlo Micro has reinvented one of the most fundamental building blocks of electronic systems – the electronic switch. The company’s Ideal Switch platform is a game-changer for those who design electronic systems, with a market opportunity of more than $20 billion. It has the potential to serve multiple industries, including next generation 5G mobile networks, industrial IoT markets, battery management, home-automation, electronic vehicles, and medical instrumentation.