Memristive Circuits based on Two-Dimensional Layered Hexagonal Boron Nitride for Radiofrequency Applications

Radiofrequency (RF) switches are essential components in modern communication devices, as they enable fast data transmission by driving or blocking electromagnetic signals of high frequencies (typically few/tens of gigahertz). The constant demand for higher data transmission rates requires RF switches capable of operating at higher frequencies, which represents a big challenge for commercial device technologies like field effect transistors and phase-change memristors (which are limited to ~60 GHz). In this talk I will present the fabrication of memristive RF switches, based on multilayer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), capable of operating reliably at frequencies up to 260 GHz. We build the first 2D-materials-based series-shunt device configuration and readily achieve outstanding insertion loss of 0.9 dB and isolation of 35 dB at 120 GHz. We accomplish consistent ambipolar switching with low resistances down to 9.3±3.7 Ω by introducing a low resistance tuning protocol, and achieve high endurances up to 2000 cycles (more than 60 times higher than previous reports on 2D-materials-based RF switches). These achievements represent a significant advancement towards next generation RF switches, as well as to the deployment of 2D materials in the semiconductors industry.