Press Release
June 09, 2026
IRVINE, Calif. High-performance switching leader Menlo Micro introduced what it calls the industry’s first broadband RF switching platform that covers DC to 70 GHz, thereby extending switching performance into the bandwidths required for high-frequency silicon photonics test systems, where traditional switching technologies face significant performance limitations.
The core of the new MM5800 platform, according to the company announcement, is a high-performance SPDT micro-mechanical switch based on Menlo Micro’s Ideal Switch technology, designed for microwave and millimeter-wave applications requiring low loss, high linearity, and high-power operation. In addition to extending reliable switching performance from DC to 70 GHz, the MM5800 replaces both electromechanical relays and solid-state RF switches in high-performance measurement systems.
The device supports more than three billion switching cycles, enabling long operational lifetime in automated test systems. Its architecture provides superior linearity and signal integrity compared to solid-state technologies, while delivering switching performance that is significantly faster and smaller than traditional electromechanical relay technologies. The MM5800 is optimized for next-generation high-speed test infrastructure supporting PCIe Gen7, 224G SerDes, and emerging high-speed communication and optical standards.
The MM5800’s combination of millimeter-wave performance, low loss, high linearity, and high-power handling makes the part suited for many high-frequency markets and applications, including test and measurement, silicon photonics, satellite communications infrastructures, aerospace and defense RF systems, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) limiter and protection applications. The device is also uniquely capable of operating at cryogenic temperatures, making it a critical solution for quantum compute applications as well.
