Nanoscale Phase-Change Switch Based on Molybdenum Ditelluride for Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communication

Radio frequency (RF) switches serve as pivotal components in RF front-end architectures. Emerging RF switches exhibit exceptional terahertz-frequency performance yet suffer from inherent limitations in power handling and linearity. This study presents a nonvolatile nanoscale phase-change RF switch based on molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂). Unlike switches that rely on conductive filament mechanisms, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), the MoTe₂ switch operates through thermally induced phase transitions, which offer high structural stability. This intrinsic material characteristic enables approximately 30 dBm power handling and a third-order intercept point of 42 dBm. Additionally, the device leverages the area-scaling advantages of two-dimensional materials, achieving a cutoff frequency of 72 THz. Furthermore, the switch exhibits an insertion loss below 0.6 dB and an isolation greater than 18.5 dB (0.1─110 GHz). These remarkable characteristics position the MoTe₂ switch as a promising candidate for millimeter-wave communication.