High-standoff protection switch sets new benchmark for RF protection in aerospace and defence

Menlo Microsystems, Inc. has launched its MM5130-NLX switch, a high-standoff RF front-end protection solution designed for the most demanding aerospace and defence (A&D) applications.

Engineered to withstand RF pulsed power levels up to 500W, the switch delivers unmatched durability and operational excellence, based on the company's Ideal Switch technology. The chip-scale device protects RF front-end systems in applications including missiles, drones, electronic warfare, communication networks, and high-performance datalinks, providing a combination of high isolation, wideband operation, and low loss that is unique to the market.

Vice president of Menlo's Aerospace and Defence Product Business Unit, Mark Walker, said: "No other semiconductor switch currently available can tolerate such intense power levels, nor can any competing technology deliver the same combination of low loss, wideband performance, and high isolation in a chip-scale package. The MM5130-NLX sets a new benchmark for protecting critical RF systems in extreme conditions."

The term 'high standoff' is in reference to the new switch's ability to endure and block extremely high RF power or voltage, isolating electronics from damaging interference signals. This capability is especially vital in RF systems, where switches must be able to withstand substantial incoming signals, even in the 'off' state, with limited energy leakage or risk of damage to the switch and the system it protects. Unlike conventional semiconductor switches that often fail under such extreme stress, the Ideal Switch has been compactly designed to uniquely protect RF front-end systems while maintaining peak performance across multiple critical parameters.

Key to the device's design is a physical micro-scale air gap with outstanding isolation, which ensures that, when switched off, the circuit is truly isolated with minimal unintended signal pass-through, thereby safeguarding sensitive receivers in high-frequency, wideband environments such as ISR, electronic warfare, or datalinks.

Also, the switch's ohmic contacts on a fully insulating substrate deliver wideband capability that allows it to operate seamlessly across a wide frequency range, from hundreds of megahertz to tens of gigahertz, without notable loss or distortion. This means signal integrity is preserved on the selected channel and well isolated from the others. This versatility is vital in modern RF systems, which increasingly span multiple frequencies and need a single device capable of handling evolving performance demands. In contrast, narrowband switches may suffer from higher losses or poor isolation when used outside of their optimised range.