what is the RF switch?

Question

what is the RF switch?

please describe me its applications and how it is working and its instrumentation.
and if some online refrence exist, introduce it, please give their address

Thank you
Best Regards

Answer 1

RF switch is used to control the flow of electromagnetic energy. They are designed for the type of the transmission line used, coax, waveguide or microstrip. There r many types of rf switch. mechanical (by hand),electromechanical, uses a celenoid. These are the slower ones normally used in the transformation of energy to a dummy load for maintainance or to standby antennas for non ordinary conditions. faster switches are the PIN using semiconductors but suitable for low power. Gas tubes such as the thyritron are used with higher power and faster switching speed. also ther are ferrite switches with longer life than gas tubes but slower. Finally switching is not necessarly be at the RF. It would be at lower speeds, the RF energy is switched from a path to another in normally much lower than RF speed

Answer 2

An RF (Radio Frequency) and microwave switch is a device to route high frequency signal through transmission paths. RF and microwave switches are used extensively in microwave test systems for signal routing between instruments and devices under test (DUT). Incorporating a switch into a switch matrix system enables you to route signals from multiple instruments to single or multiple DUTs. This allows multiple tests to be performed with the same setup, eliminating the need for frequent connects and disconnects. The entire testing process can be automated, increasing the throughput in high-volume production environments.

https://www.electrikals.com/products/r/wiring-devices/a?cid=688&cnid=1&page=1&pageSize=15

Answer 3

RF switch is radio frequency switch, this can operate at very high speed in mHz and Ghz speed. i'm not sure about the application