Monolithic Microwave/millimeter Wave Integrated Circuit Research Articles

Analytical Design of Millimeter-Wave 100-nm GaN-on-Si MMIC Switches Using FET-Based Resonators and Coupling Matrix Method

This article presents an analytical design for millimeter-wave monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) switches. First, the field-effect-transistor-based (FET-based) resonator is proposed, whose resonant frequency and bandwidth can be controlled flexibly. As a result, the design flexibility of MMIC switches can be highly improved by using FET-based resonators. Second, a fast and flexible impedance matching technique is presented for MMIC switches based on the coupling matrix method. By selecting appropriate coupling parameters, the MMIC switches can be easily designed without designing multistage impedance matching circuits. In this way, low insertion loss (IL) and compact chip size can be accordingly obtained. For design validation, two single-pole single-throw (SPST) switch prototypes are designed and fabricated by using two or four FET-based resonators, respectively. Implemented in 100-nm GaN-on-Silicon HEMT process, high input 1-dB compression point (IP1 dB) of over 30 dBm is realized. The return losses are better than 15 dB, the minimum IL is only 1.1 dB at 30 GHz, and the isolations are higher than 45 dB. The above features indicate the validation of the proposed design method for MMIC switches.

Review of semiconductor materials for monolithic microwave millimeter wave integrated circuits

Field of wireless communication is advancing at a very rapid rate. Some the prominent applications are wireless personal area networks, local area networks, wide area networks, satellite communication, cellular based communication, and many more. All of these applications demand implementation of high performance active and passive circuits operating at high frequency. Each type of wireless systems demands different performance requirements for the constituent circuits and systems. As an example, in cellular communication there are different requirements for base station and mobile stations systems. Base stations demands high power transceivers and small size not matters whereas as mobile station transceivers should be portable, small sized and should have low power profile. Even in a single transceiver system in which transmitter and receiver are integrated on single chip, there are different requirements for transmitter and receiver sections. In transmitter section noise, interference rejection and band selectivity are more relaxed compared to receiver section, but linearity and power efficiency are issues of concern in transmitter section. Further at high frequencies, parasitic capacitance and lead inductance make the design of circuits and systems very complex and challenging. Features as small size, low cost and high performance make the monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuit (MMIC) a very suitable option for designing circuits and systems at high frequencies. One of the specific challenges in designing an MMIC for a specified system is selection of right device and right material as per the need of circuit and system requirements. This article attempts to review some of the prominent materials used for realizing MMIC along with their characteristics advantages, disadvantages with associated active device technologies and potential application areas.

A 1–160-GHz InP Distributed Amplifier Using 3-D Interdigital Capacitors

A wideband monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) distributed amplifier (DA) using a 3-D interdigital capacitor at the input of the gain cell is demonstrated in an indium phosphide (InP) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process. The proposed DA using interdigital capacitors improves the input return loss at high frequencies compared with the one implemented with conventional metal–insulator–metal (MIM) capacitors. The fabricated amplifier achieves a measured average gain of 10.5 dB over a 3-dB bandwidth from 1 to 160 GHz. The maximum measured saturated power ( $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ ) is 17.8 dBm with the corresponding 1-dB compression power ( $P_{\mathrm {1\,dB}}$ ) of 15 dBm at 55 GHz. The amplifier achieves a minimum $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ of 14.6 dBm up to 110 GHz.

High-Efficiency 60-GHz Printed Yagi Antenna Array

A low-cost and highly efficient printed Yagi antenna structure with high radiation efficiency is presented. The proposed prototype consists of two stacked planar layers. The first layer electromagnetically couples energy to the printed Yagi array parasitic elements located on the second layer. A reduced-size 60-GHz prototype (1.0687 × 0.8015 cm2) is designed to operate over the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. The measured impedance bandwidth is more than 5 GHz with a gain of 10 dB measured at 60 GHz. With these features, this antenna achieves a low profile that makes it suitable for millimeter-wave monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) packaging as well as for short-range wireless communications and imaging applications.

Novel Microcontacts in Microwave Chip Carriers Developed by UV-Liga Process Part II

This paper presents the design and development of novel type microcontacts in monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip-carriers to printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. Several new concepts of microcontacts for packaging solutions of microwave and millimeter-wave MMIC are depicted. Simulation and vector network analyzer (VNA) measurement results for these microcontact transitions are discussed. The results show that the electrical parameters are highly dependent on the transition dimensions and substrate features. These contacts are based on male stud (bump) and female (ring) concept. When mating each other, there are clips effect and self-alignment features. Special attention is paid to the shape of the microcontacts in order to facilitate assembly and strengthen the connection. Equivalent electrical circuit is proposed for PSPICE simulation of the dc contact resistance. Finally, the article discusses the technological implementation of the proposed new microcontact stud-ring through low-cost ultraviolet electroplating, lithography, and molding (UV-LIGA) process and the regime influence on the shape, geometry, and mating capabilities. Results from mechanical pull and adhesion tests are also discussed

Novel Microcontacts in Microwave Chip Carriers Developed by UV-LIGA Process

This paper presents the design and development of novel type microcontacts in monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip-carriers to printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. Several new concepts of microcontacts for packaging solutions of microwave and millimeter-wave MMIC are depicted. Simulation and vector network analyzer (VNA) measurement results for these microcontact transitions are discussed. The results show that the electrical parameters are highly dependent on the transition dimensions and substrate features. These contacts are based on male stud (bump) and female (ring) concept. When mating each other, there are clips effect and self-alignment features. Special attention is paid to the shape of the microcontacts in order to facilitate assembly and strengthen the connection. Equivalent electrical circuit is proposed for PSPICE simulation of the dc contact resistance. Finally, the article discusses the technological implementation of the proposed new microcontact stud-ring through low-cost ultraviolet electroplating, lithography, and molding (UV-LIGA) process and the regime influence on the shape, geometry, and mating capabilities. Results from mechanical pull and adhesion tests are also discussed

MMIC development for millimeter-wave space application

The latest millimeter-wave monolithic-microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) developments and technologies at the Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Kanagawa, Japan, concerning high power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers and phase shifters have been summarized. It has been shown that high-efficiency, low-noise, and low-loss performance for millimeter-wave space applications can be achieved by employing pseudomorphic high electron-mobility transistor (p-HEMT) MMIC technology. The investigation for gamma-ray irradiation hardness has cleared that millimeter wave p-HEMT MMICs have over a 100 years of life against gamma-ray irradiation in the space environment.

K-band and millimeter-wave MMICs for emerging commercial wireless applications

The recent K-band monolithic-microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) technologies for the local multipoint distribution service systems and novel MMIC technologies for potential low-cost millimeter-wave MMICs are presented in this paper via a review of Fujitsu Quantum Devices Limited technology. The devices being demonstrated are a 23-26-GHz 2-W power amplifier module with a broad-band driver amplifier, a 19-33-GHz miniature low-noise amplifier, a frequency multiplier by four for K-band local oscillators, a flip-chip MMIC module for radar application, and three-dimensional MMIC image-rejection harmonic mixers. Through these devices, the recent trend of design and fabrication methodologies for the K-band and millimeter-wave devices will be described.

Ka‐band single‐pole double‐throw MMIC switch using low‐loss GaAs PIN diode

To realize low-insertion-loss and high-power-handling GaAs PIN diode monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) switches in the millimeter-wave region, a new switching device having characteristics of higher switching cutoff frequency and higher breakdown voltage is required in the place of conventional switching devices such as metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) and pseudomorphic HEMT. In this paper, equivalent circuits of the developed GaAs PIN diode and their detailed performance are first presented, and the requirements for realizing the GaAs PIN diode having the characteristics of lower insertion loss and high breakdown voltage in the millimeter-wave region are described. The design and performance of a millimeter-wave MMIC switch using the GaAs PIN diode are then described. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 83(8): 27–32, 2000

A 90-100 GHz double-folded slot antenna

A double-folded slot antenna (DFS) has been designed, fabricated, and tested at 90-100 GHz. The antenna shows a very wideband impedance around 20 /spl Omega/ from 85 to 110 GHz. The low impedance is compatible with superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junctions, Schottky diodes or high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) amplifiers, which require a low impedance at millimeter wave frequencies. The antenna is placed on a dielectric lens to synthesize a semi-infinite substrate and realize high-directivity patterns. The measured radiation patterns agree very well with theoretical calculations and demonstrate symmetric main beams and sidelobe levels below -15 db over a 10% bandwidth. The double folded slot antenna is an attractive candidate for low-cost wideband millimeter-wave monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) front ends.

Millimeter-wave wide-band amplifiers using multilayer MMIC technology

This paper describes millimeter-wave wide-band single-ended and balanced amplifiers using novel multilayer monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. The fundamental characteristics of thin-film transmission lines and a 50-GHz-band multilayer MMIC directional coupler are described through measurements up to 60 GHz. A single-ended amplifier fabricated in a 1.1 mm/spl times/0.8 mm area, shows a gain of about 12 dB with a noise figure of better than 5 dB around 50 GHz. A balanced amplifier fabricated using the multilayer MMIC directional couplers and single-ended amplifiers, shows a gain of 10-17 dB with input and output return losses of better than 14 dB from 33 to 53 GHz. The transmission lines and directional couplers can be effectively combined with millimeter-wave active circuits without degrading the circuit performance or increasing the circuit area. To our knowledge, these are the first millimeter-wave active circuits employing multilayer MMIC technology.

A 20-GHz-band subharmonically injection-locked oscillator MMIC with wide locking range

A monolithic subharmonically injection-locked oscillator (ILO) with wide frequency tuning range using a shunted varactor diode inserted to the oscillation loop is presented. A 20-GHz-band ILO is fabricated that achieves the wide injection locking range of more than 700 MHz at each subharmonic factor up to 32. In addition, the phase-noise degradation rate of the ILO against the subharmonic factor is close to 6 db/oct. The ILO configuration is extremely suitable for realizing low cost and low-phase-noise millimeter-wave monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) sources.

Injection-locked oscillator chain: a possible solution to millimeter-wave MMIC synthesizers

An injection-locked oscillator (ILO) monolithic-microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) chain-a cascade of low- and high-frequency-band ILOs-is proposed for simple and cost-effective millimeter-wave local oscillators and synthesizers. Primary 5, 20, and 50 GHz-band ILO MMICs are designed and fabricated as an ILO-chain chip set. Improvements made to the active combiner/dividers (A-C/D's), the heart of the MMIC, in the external feedback path for an amplifier to suppress spurs at the output port of 5 and 20 GHz band ILOs, and enhance the loop gain and layout flexibility at millimeter-wave frequencies. Fabricated 5 and 20 GHz-band ILO MMICs are chain-connected to confirm the design techniques. The ILO chain provides a 20 GHz-band output signal for an injection signal of 571 MHz, as well as a very low level of spurs of less than -45 dBc around the output signal. The measured results show that the proposed ILO chain is extremely suitable for developing full millimeter-wave MMIC frequency synthesizers.

Folded U-Shaped Microwire Technology for Ultra-Compact Three-Dimensional MMIC's

A microwire technique has been developed for fabricating three-dimensional (3-D) structures for use in ultra-compact GaAs monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuits (MMIC). By folding metal into a U-shapedl wall and burying it in a relatively thick polyimide insulator, vertical microwires can be made with greatly reduced process complexity. This technique also offers process compatibility with multilevel interconnects. In this paper, the fundamental characteristics of the proposed Ushaped microwire are dkcussed and its applications to 3-D passive elements and circuits are demonstrated. The characteristics of the U-shaped microwires are almost the same as those of I-shaped microwires and can be accurately estimated and designed by using numerical analysis. The fabricated and designed transmission lines are one-half to one-third the size of conventional lines with the same transmission loss, and if the microwire is also used as a shielding wall, the occupied area can be made much smaller. Miniature inductors made of vertical U-shaped microwires exhibit a self-resonance freqnency as high as that of conventional inductors, with one-half the size and offer a great advantage in L- or S-band applications. A fabricated miniature wideband 3-D balun had an insertion loss of 1.5 + 1 dB at frequencies from 10 to 30 GHz, and an amplitude and phase balance of 2 dB and 5/spl deg/, respectively.

Low phase noise millimeter-wave frequency sources using InP-based HBT MMIC technology

A family of millimeter-wave sources based on InP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology has been developed. These sources include 40-GHz, 46-GHz, 62-GHz MMIC fundamental mode oscillators, and a 95-GHz frequency source module using a 23.8-GHz InP HBT MMIC dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) in conjunction with a GaAs-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) MMIC frequency quadrupler and W-band output amplifiers. Good phase noise performance was achieved due to the low 1/f noise of the InP-based HBT devices. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of millimeter-wave sources using InP-based HBT MMIC's.

A circuit topology for microwave modeling of plastic surface mount packages

A circuit topology is described for modeling a class of plastic surface mount packages. The model consists of three pieces each of which is circuit modeled based on an electromagnetic simulation. The resulting parts of the model can then be interconnected with each other and with the model of the monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuit (MMIC) to be packaged. Various interconnections and grounding schemes can be investigated without resorting to further electromagnetic simulation. The circuit model topology is verified by circuit simulating two simple packaged test circuits and comparing the results to a full electromagnetic simulation. The resulting S parameters are in good agreement over a wide range of frequencies and for a variety of grounding configurations.

Novel high-isolation FET switches

This paper describes novel high-isolation monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) field-effect transistor (FET) switches that have higher isolation characteristics than conventional switches without much insertion loss degradation. The newly developed switches consist of series/shunt FETs and T-shaped R-C-R circuit. Each FET switch utilizes the parasitic capacitive component of the FETs in the off-state to produce a band-rejection filter at the operating frequency. The design method of the newly proposed switches and their characteristics are described herein. With this method, the isolation characteristics are improved by more than 15 dB between 5.4 GHz and 6.4 GHz and more than 20 dB between 5.5 GHz and 6.1 GHz over conventional values.

Highly integrated three-dimensional MMIC single-chip receiver and transmitter

The three-dimensional monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuits (MMIC) structure that places thin polyimide-film layers on wafers significantly increases the integration level of MMICs. We developed 9.2-12 GHz receiver and 95-14 GHz transmitter chips with 20 dB gain using the three-dimensional MMIC technology. The receiver chip includes a four-stage front-end amplifier, a local oscillator (LO) amplifier, and an image-rejection mixer in a 2/spl times/2 mm chip. The transmitter chip also includes an IF amplifier with balanced outputs, an LO amplifier, an RF buffer amplifier, and a balanced upconverter in a 1.9/spl times/1.9 mm chip. The integration levels of these chips are nearly three times higher than those of conventional planar devices. The design method of each function block, such as the amplifier and mixer, is also described.

A CAD-suitable approach for the analysis of nonuniform MMIC and MHMIC transmission lines

A new method of moment-based formulation for the solution of the telegraphist's equations in nonuniform transmission lines is presented. Entire domain basis functions that build in a frequency variation are used to cover wider frequency and physical dimension ranges. The results obtained using the proposed formulation are validated by comparison to those obtained by a CAD package and to measured data. Different nonuniform lines in microstrip and coplanar technologies on monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuit (MMIC) and miniaturized hybrid microwave integrated circuit (MHMIC) substrates are investigated with an application to the design a matched taper transition in a MMIC coplanar line.

Uniplanar power dividers using coupled CPW and asymmetrical CPS for MICs and MMICs

Uniplanar coplanar waveguide (CPW), coplanar strip (CPS), and slotline on dielectric substrates have many applications in microwave integrated circuit (MIC) and monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuit (MMIC) designs. New power dividers using one-section and two-section coupled CPW have been developed. These circuits provide substantially improved performance over a wider bandwidth than conventional microstrip power dividers. Measured results show that the one-section CPW power divider has greater than 20-dB isolation, less than 0.3-dB insertion loss, a 0.2-dB power dividing imbalance, and a 20 phase imbalance over a bandwidth of more than 30% centered at 3 GHz. The two-section CPW power divider has greater than 24-dB isolation, less than 0.5-dB insertion loss, a 0.1 dB power dividing imbalance, and a 1.6/spl deg/ phase imbalance over a bandwidth of more than 66% centered at 3 GHz. Experimental results agree well with calculated ones. In-phase and 180/spl deg/ out-of-phase power dividers constructed by the circuit configuration method are described in this paper. The even-odd mode excited method is used to analyze the power dividers. Also two other power dividers using asymmetrical coplanar strip (ACPS) have been developed with good performance. A 180/spl deg/ out-of-phase power divider is demonstrated with an amplitude imbalance of 0.4 dB and a phase difference of 180/spl deg//spl plusmn/1/spl deg/ over a wide bandwidth.