Design of broadband, highly integrated, 20-30 GHz and 35-45 GHz MMIC up-converters
The design of broadband, highly integrated up-converters is described. Two up-converters have been designed to reduce the complexity and cost of broadband millimetre wave systems by integrating a number of functions into a compact MMIC. Broadband performance was achieved for 20-30 GHz and 35-45 GHz with OIP3 exceeding 24 and 15 dBm, respectively; 2xLO leakage better than 3 dBm and excellent gain control. To our knowledge, this is the highest level of integration achieved for an up-converter at these frequencies.
Design and stability test of a 2-40 GHz frequency doubler with active balun
An ultra-broadband PHEMT MMIC frequency doubler is designed. It comprises a FET active balun stage and a push-pull doubler in common-source configuration. Due to the purely lumped-element concept, the required chip area is very low. Using broadband compensation and matching networks, a nearly flat output power performance up to a limit of 2/3 f/sub T/ with acceptable conversion loss is predicted in circuit simulations and confirmed with broadband waveform measurements. The stability of the entire circuit is investigated including hidden instabilities and arbitrary passive input and output load conditions based on a direct stability circle calculation.
A balanced millimeter wave doubler based on pseudomorphic HEMTs
A balanced HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) doubler for operation at millimeter waves has been analyzed, fabricated, and characterized. Particular attention has been paid to the influence of the output circuit on the performance of the doubler. The doubler was analyzed with a harmonic balance method and an output power of 4 dBm at 42 GHz was obtained experimentally. The conversion gain is approximately -1 dB at 40 GHz at an input power of 5 dBm. Bias and frequency response were very close to the predicted ones.<<ETX>>