High Power RF PIN Diode Switch for Medical Devices

THE IDEAL SWITCH DELIVERS:

Complete reliability, to provide confident care.

Signal accuracy, to ensure precision read-outs.

Size & weight savings, to enable device mobility.

Power savings, to lower total cost of ownership.

CASE IN POINT:

MRI Machines

The Ideal Switch handles high power and yet provides extremely high density switching arrays which can enable completely new healthcare form factors for MRI, Ultrasound and other emerging medical equipment segments.

1. Inside an MRI machine

MRI machines use a lot of semiconductors like PIN diodes to manage high-voltage switching.

2. PIN diode switch drawbacks

Hundreds of inefficient PIN diodes consume massive amounts of current, requiring complex thermal management solutions.

3. Big compromises

Thermal management and design complexity limit the ability to create smaller, more portable diagnostics.

IMPACT:

Fewer components, lower power needs.

Designers are able to dramatically downsize the number of switches required on a given board.

Images taken from “A Custom MEMS Switch for MR Surface Coil Decoupling” Presentation by General Electric, in Proceedings of ISMRM (Toronto, Canada, 2015)

Reduced Size

Fewer components and no heat sinks. Less space needed = more channels to incorporate. No heat sinks needed means less space and less weight. Smaller overall footprint with lower weight requirements.

Reduced # of Components

From hundreds of components to <100 Ideal Switches. Replaces high power RF PIN diode switches, power-and thermal management components. Higher reliability means lower downtime. Reduced complexity at system level means less maintenance.

Reduced Power Consumption

Uses 99% less power vs PIN diodes (.04W from 40W). Less power means less cost to operate. Heat free means higher comfort for patients.

Reduced Total Cost of Ownership

Over $10,000 savings per machine. Digital coils require no manual tuning of PIN diode networks. Fewer parts means shorter assembly time. Low-power simplifies thermal management and reduces power supply needs. New product development is faster and cheaper.

Enabling Technology

Completely new systems architecture creates lighter and thinner coils today with “wireless coils” tomorrow.

“We knew that once we had successfully replaced high power PIN diodes in our first application of MRI RF imaging coils, that the applications would be very broad. I am very fortunate to have been a part of this journey for over 15 years, from its inception to the... industrialization of an entirely new product category, the Ideal Switch.”

MICHAEL IDELCHIK
FORMER VP ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY,
GE GLOBAL RESEARCH

Tech keeping pace with medicine.

MRI Machines

Fewer components, lower power needs.