On-chip nanoplasma for adaptive electromagnetic protection

Abstract

Over the past decade, semiconductor diodes have served as the primary switching elements in adaptive electromagnetic (EM) protection, yet their performance has been compromised by parasitic effects and thermal accumulation, rendering them inadequate against the rapidly evolving landscape of high-power microwave (HPM) threats. Here we show that on-chip nanoplasma switches (NPMS), composed of gallium nitride electrodes on silicon carbide substrates, exhibit superior radio frequency (RF) and thermal characteristics, positioning them as ideal field-driven switches in RF front-end protectors. By integrating NPMS into metasurfaces, antennas and circuit limiters, we achieve an adaptive response that ensures low-loss transmission for normal signals and high shielding against HPMs, while offering extended operating bandwidth and substantially higher tolerance than conventional solid-state devices. This robust, nanoscale structure has significant potential for protecting unmanned aerial vehicles, radars, satellites and other highly integrated platforms requiring strength and stability in EM environments. The findings of this study open up new routes to support EM safety of high-precision detection and imaging for next-generation RF front ends, with straightforward scalability to millimetre-wave and terahertz frequencies.