A 460 GHz MEMS-Based Single-Pole Double-Throw Waveguide Switch

The design, fabrication and measurement of a 460 GHz MEMS-based single-pole double-throw (SPDT) wave-guide switch is presented. A silicon etched large-deflection actuator is applied to create two reflective switches that are combined to form the double-throw switch. A hybrid packaging approach combining the silicon MEMS actuator with a metal CNC-milled waveguide housing enables direct integration with standard waveguide components. Insertion loss for the packaged device is 1 dB or less with a return loss of greater than 23 dB across a 17% fractional bandwidth. To the author's knowledge, this is the highest frequency, lowest-loss SPDT switch that has been demonstrated.