Exploiting Non-Linear Properties of Phase-Change Materials in mm-Wave Devices

The non-linear properties of phase-change materials (PCMs), particularly vanadium dioxide (VO2), offer a powerful mechanism for controlling the electromagnetic wave. This presentation highlights recent research conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology on VO2-based mm-wave devices. Key developments include low-loss PCM switches with operational bandwidths spanning DC to 330GHz, tunable true-time-delay phase shifters, reconfigurable filters, and dynamic polarizers. The talk will explore three excitation modalities — thermal, optical, and electric field-induced transitions — along with their respective trade-offs in performance, speed, and integration. These innovations demonstrate the potential of VO2 to enable agile, high-frequency components for next-generation communication and sensing systems.