InP MMIC Research Articles

18-31 GHz GaN wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) using a 0.1 μm T-gate high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process

GaN technology has attracted main attention towards its application to high-power amplifier. Most recently, noise performance of GaN device has also won acceptance. Compared with GaAs low noise amplifier (LNA), GaN LNA has a unique superiority on power handling. In this work, we report a wideband Silicon-substrate GaN MMIC LNA operating in 18-31 GHz frequency range using a commercial 0.1 μm T-Gate high electron mobility transistor process (OMMIC D01GH). The GaN MMIC LNA has an average noise figure of 1.43 dB over the band and a minimum value of 1.27 dB at 23.2 GHz, which can compete with GaAs and InP MMIC LNA. The small-signal gain is between 22 and 25 dB across the band, the input and output return losses of the MMIC are less than −10 dB. The P1dB and OIP3 are at 17 dBm and 28 dBm level. The four-stage MMIC is 2.3 × 1.0 mm2 in area and consumes 280 mW DC power. Compared with GaAs and InP LNA, the GaN MMIC LNA in this work exhibits a comparative noise figure with higher linearity and power handling ability.

A novel large-signal model for InP MMIC applications at 110 GHz

A novel large-signal model for InP MMIC applications at 110 GHz

An 85–120 GHz high-gain and wide-band InP MMIC amplifier

An 85–120 GHz high-gain and wide-band InP MMIC amplifier

Design, development, and verification of the Planck Low FrequencyInstrument 70 GHz Front-End and Back-End Modules

70 GHz radiometer front-end and back-endmodules for the Low Frequency Instrument of the European SpaceAgency's Planck Mission were built and tested. Theoperating principles and the design details of the mechanicalstructures are described along with the key InP MMIC low noiseamplifiers and phase switches of the units. The units were tested inspecially designed cryogenic vacuum chambers capable of producing theoperating conditions required for Planck radiometers, specifically, aphysical temperature of 20 K for the front-end modules, 300 K for theback-end modules and 4 K for the reference signal sources. Test resultsof the low noise amplifiers and phase switches, the front and back-endmodules, and the combined results of both modules are discussed. At 70 GHz frequency, the system noise temperature of the front and backend is 28 K; the effective bandwidth16 GHz, and the 1/f spectrum knee frequency is38 mHz.The test results indicatestate-of-the-art performance at 70 GHz frequency and fulfil the Planckperformance requirements.

Miniature low-power submillimeter-wave spectrometer for remote sensing in the solar system

Mass and power for the next generation of NASA's heterodyne spectrometers must be greatly reduced to satisfy the constraints of future small-spacecraft missions. In this paper, we present a new receiver concept for remote sensing in the solar system, with greatly reduced mass, power, and size compared to instruments implemented in current missions. This spectrometer was originally proposed for operation in the vicinity of the 557-GHz emission from the H/sub 2/O ground-state transition. With the 557-GHz mixer and associated multiplier chain still under development, we prototyped a 220-GHz version of the instrument to verify the receiver concept, and experimentally demonstrated its functionality. The 220-GHz prototype Schottky-diode receiver requires less than 4.8 W, and has a mass of less than 1.1 kg-more than a factor of ten in mass and power reduction compared to current instruments. These significant savings, achieved through minimizing the number of receiver components, do not compromise the functionality necessary, e.g., for a surface-based Mars atmospheric sounding instrument. For the 557-GHz version, we anticipate that the total mass would be about the same as that of the millimeter-wave prototype, while required power would be reduced by about 1.5 W with the use of InP MMIC amplifiers.

InP-based millimeter-wave PIN diodes for switching and phase-shifting application

InP-based PIN design, technology and circuit implementation were addressed and successfully applied to millimeter-wave MMIC switches and phase shifters. A wet etchant based via technology was developed and applied to InP MMIC fabrication. MOCVD and MBE material growth was used for PIN realization and PIN specific growth optimization is discussed. Experimentally determined electrical characteristics and good performance is presented for a variety of InP-based PIN MMICs including coplanar and microstrip K a-band SPST switches, W-band microstrip SPST switches and a 90-degree phase shifter.

High gain 28GHz coplanar waveguide monolithic amplifier on InP substrate

A three stage 28 GHz InP MMIC coplanar waveguide amplifier with 27 dB gain over the frequency band from 26 to 32 GHz has been developed. The circuit is fully passivated with Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ and includes all necessary elements for input/output matching and bias decoupling. As active devices 0.25 mu m lattice matched InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs were used. The chip dimensions are 2.4*2.0 mm/sup 2/.

5-60-GHz high-gain distributed amplifier utilizing InP cascode HEMTs

A high-gain InP MMIC cascode distributed amplifier was developed which has 12 dB of gain from 5 to 60 GHz with over 20-dB gain control capability and a noise figure of 2.5-4 dB in the Ka band. Lattice-matched InAlAs/InGaAs cascode HEMTs on InP substrate with 0.25- mu m gate length were the active devices. Microstrip was the transmission medium for this MMIC with an overall chip dimension of 2.3 mm*0.9 mm. The gain/noise figure advantages of the InP HEMT over the AlGaAs HEMT and the superior gain performance of the cascode HEMT over the common-source HEMT are demonstrated. >

94 GHz InP MMIC five-section distributed amplifier

A single-stage 94 GHz InP MMIC amplifier with 6.4 dB gain at 94GHz has been developed, which is the highest frequency MMIC amplifier reported to date. Lattice-matched GaInAs/AlInAs HEMTs with 0.1μm mushroom gates were the active devices. The CPW MMIC chip dimensions are 500μm × 670μm.