Barry R. Allen

High-performance in W-band monolithic pseudomorphic InGaAs HEMT LNA's and design/analysis methodology

High-performance W-band monolithic one- and two-stage low noise amplifiers (LNAs) based on pseudomorphic InGaAs-GaAs HEMT devices have been developed. The one-stage amplifier has a measured noise figure of 5.1 dB with an associated gain of 7 dB from 92 to 95 GHz, and the two-stage amplifier has a measured small signal gain of 13.3 dB at 94 GHz and 17 dB at 89 GHz with a noise figure of 5.5 dB from 91 to 95 GHz. An eight-stage LNA built by cascading four of these monolithic two-stage LNA chips demonstrates 49 dB gain and 6.5 dB noise figure at 94 GHz. A rigorous analysis procedure was incorporated in the design, including accurate active device modeling and full-wave EM analysis of passive structures. The first pass success of these LNA chip designs indicates the importance of a rigorous design/analysis methodology in millimeter-wave monolithic IC development. >

A 140-GHz monolithic low noise amplifier

The design, fabrication, and performance of a single-stage 44 GHz monolithic HEMT low noise amplifier are described. The chip includes a single heterojunction HEMT with matching and biasing circuits. Greater than 5 dB gain was measured from 43.5 to 45.5 GHz and a noise figure of 5 dB with the associated gain of 5.5 dB was achieved at 44.5 GHz. The chip size is 1.25mm x 1.0mm.This paper presents the development of a 140-GHz monolithic low noise amplifier (LNA) using 0.1-μm pseudomorphic InAlAs-InGaAs-InP low noise HEMT technology. A two-stage single-ended 140-GHz monolithic LNA has been designed, fabricated and tested. It exhibits a measured small signal gain of 9 dB at 142 GHz, and more than 5-dB gain from 138-145 GHz. This is the highest frequency monolithic amplifier ever reported using three terminal devices.

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 MMICs.

A W-band single-chip transceiver for FMCW radar

A monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip containing a W-band voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). transmit amplifiers, a receiver low noise amplifier and a mixer is discussed. It is used as the front-end of a homodyne FMCW radar for target range and range rate sensing applications. The 6.9-mm*3.6-mm monolithic chip was fabricated using 0.1- mu m pseudomorphic InGaAs-AlGaAs-GaAs HEMT process technology. The transmitter output power is more than 10 dBm for frequencies in the range 90-94 GHz, and maximum tuning bandwidth is 500 MHz for the VO. The receiver channel has 6-dB conversion gain when the output transmitting power is 10 dBm. A compete radar system has been tested based on the single-chip MMIC front-end. The calculated range and range rate are in good agreement with the measurement data.<<ETX>>

12-40 GHz low harmonic distortion and phase noise performance of GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

GaAs-AlGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) have been used to demonstrate the capability of low harmonic distortion with high efficiency and low-phase-noise performance in the 12-40-GHz frequency regime. A simplified 3- mu m emitter, self-aligned base metal HBT process is used to fabricate transistors with f/sub max/ approximately=30-50 GHz, high linearity, and low 1/f noise, yielding significantly improved third-order intermodulation product intercept point (IP3) and oscillator performance. The HBT IP3 ranges from 20-35 dBm for 12-20 GHz with a linearity figure-of-merit ratio, IP3(mW)/input DC power (mW), approximately=4 to 20 times higher than comparable HEMTs (high-electron-mobility transistors) and MESFETs at 12 to 37.7 GHz with -82 dBc/Hz phase noise at 100-kHz offset. It is concluded that these capabilities make HBTs attractive for high-IP3 amplifiers and mixers and low-phase-noise voltage-controlled oscillators in advanced receiver applications.<<ETX>>

A 62-GHz monolithic InP-based HBT VCO

A monolithic V-band VCO using InP-based HBT technology has been designed, fabricated, and tested. This VCO delivers a peak output power of 4 dBm at a center frequency of 62.4 GHz with a tuning range of 300 MHz. The measured phase noise shows -78 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset and -104 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. To our knowledge, this is the highest frequency fundamental-mode oscillator ever reported using bipolar transistors. >

High-linearity, low DC power monolithic GaAs HBT broadband amplifiers to 11 GHz

Two broadband monolithic amplifiers based on GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) have been developed covering the 0.05-11-GHz frequency band. The hybrid designs reported by B.L. Nelson et al. (1989 IEEE GaAs IC Symp. Digest, Oct. 1989, p.79-82) have been successfully implemented with monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) technology. These amplifiers are the first reported balanced and distributed MMIC HBT amplifiers and represent a significant improvement over MESFET and HEMT approaches in high-linearity, low-DC-power performance for communication and electronic warfare applications. A 5-11-GHz MMIC balanced amplifier designed for high linearity produces +33-dBm third-order output intercept point (IP3) with 7.5-dB associated gain and less than 160-mW DC-power consumption. A 0.05-9-GHz distributed amplifier designed for low DC power and high gain consumes less than 50-mW and provides 6-10-dB gain at nominal bias. Device fabrication and characteristics are described.<<ETX>>

A 0.1-W W-band pseudomorphic HEMT MMIC power amplifier

The authors have designed and fabricated monolithic power amplifiers using pseudomorphic InGaAs power HEMTs (high-electron-mobility transistors) with record power and gain performance at W-band frequency. The two-stage amplifier has a small-signal gain of 9 dB and can deliver 0.1-W output power with 5.9-dB associated gain and 6.6% power-added efficiency at 93.5 GHz. The successful first pass design of the W-band MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) power amplifier is due to the superior device performance and the millimeter-wave monolithic power amplifier design techniques.<<ETX>>

Novel monolithic multifunctional balanced switching low-noise amplifiers

A novel multifunctional balanced switching low-noise amplifier (BSLNA) which can be used as a low-noise amplifier, a low-noise switch, or a broad-band 180/spl deg/ phase shifter is proposed. Two monolithic BSLNAs at Ka- and W-band frequencies are demonstrated using the 0.1 /spl mu/m pseudomorphic (PM) InP- and GaAs-based HEMT technologies, respectively. Potential applications of the novel BSLNA are in on-off keying (OFK) or binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) in communication systems and input switch for Dicke-switched radiometer systems. The extensions of this BSLNA structure to be a single-pole double-throw switch and a crossbar switch to interchange two signal paths are also addressed. >

A high-performance monolithic Q-band InP-based HEMT low-noise amplifier

The authors report a Q-band two-stage MMIC low-noise amplifier based on 0.1- mu m pseudomorphic InAlAs-InGaAs-InP HEMT technology. The amplifier has achieved an average noise figure of 2.3 dB with associated gain of 25 dB over the band from 43 to 46 GHz. This noise figure is the best result ever reported for a monolithic amplifier at this frequency range. In addition, this InP-based amplifier consumes only 12 mW, which is at least three times lower than a GaAs-based counterpart, indicating that InP-based pseudomorphic HEMTs are well suited for very high density monolithic integration or an application where ultra-low-power consumption is required.<<ETX>>