Charles F. Campbell

A compact 5-bit phase-shifter MMIC for K-band satellite communication systems

The design and performance of a compact K-band 5-bit phase-shifter monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) is presented. Extensive electromagnetic simulation and compact circuit design techniques were employed to yield an MMIC with a 1.693 mm/spl times/0.750 mm (1.27 mm/sup 2/) die size. Measured performance of the phase shifter at 19 GHz demonstrates 5 dB/spl plusmn/0.6 dB insertion loss and 30 r.m.s. phase error.

Wideband high power GaN on SiC SPDT switch MMICs

The design and performance of three wideband SPDT switch MMICs utilizing GaN on SiC technology are presented. The circuits are designed to cover frequency ranges of DC-6 GHz, DC-12 GHz and DC-18 GHz with input power handling optimized over the specified bandwidth. Measured in-fixture s-parameter data demonstrates a maximum insertion loss of 0.7 dB, 1.0 dB and 1.5 dB, respectively for the 6 GHz, 12 GHz and 18 GHz designs. Measured continuous wave power data demonstrates typical input RF power handling of 40 W, 15 W and 10 W, respectively for the 6 GHz, 12 GHz and 18 GHz MMICs.

A compact 5-bit phase shifter MMIC for K-band satellite communication systems

The design and performance of a compact, K-band, 5-bit phase shifter MMIC is presented. Extensive EM simulation and compact circuit design techniques were employed to yield an MMIC with a 1.693 mm/spl times/0.750 mm (1.27 mm/sup 2/) die size. Measured performance of the phase shifter at 19 GHz demonstrates 5 dB/spl plusmn/0.6 dB insertion loss and 3/spl deg/ RMS phase error.

A fully integrated Ku-band Doherty amplifier MMIC

The design and performance of a fully integrated Ku-band Doherty amplifier monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) is presented. The circuit is implemented in 0.25-μm pHEMT MMIC technology and demonstrates the feasibility of the Doherty approach at Ku-band frequencies. The fabricated devices achieved a two-tone power-added efficiency of 40% with a corresponding third-order C/I ratio of 24 dBc at 17 GHz. To the authors knowledge this is the first fully integrated pHEMT Doherty amplifier MMIC as well as the first experimental results for a Doherty amplifier at Ku-band reported to date.

A Wideband Power Amplifier MMIC Utilizing GaN on SiC HEMT Technology

The design and performance of a wideband power amplifier MMIC suitable for electronic warfare (EW) systems and other wide bandwidth applications is presented. The amplifier utilizes dual field plate 0.25-mum GaN on SiC device technology integrated into the three metal interconnect (3MI) process flow. Experimental results for the MMIC at 30V power supply operation demonstrate greater than 10 dB of small signal gain, 9 W to 15 W saturated output power and 20% to 38% peak power added efficiency over a 1.5 GHz to 17 GHz bandwidth.

High efficiency Ka-band Gallium Nitride power amplifier MMICs

The design and performance of two high efficiency Ka-band power amplifier MMICs utilizing a 0.15μm GaN HEMT process technology is presented. Measured in-fixture continuous wave (CW) results for the 3-stage balanced amplifier demonstrates up to 11W of output power and 30% power added efficiency (PAE) at 30GHz. The 3-stage single-ended design produced over 6W of output power and up to 34% PAE. The die size for the balanced and single-ended MMICs are 3.24×3.60mm2 and 1.74×3.24mm2 respectively.

An analytic method to determine GaAs FET parasitic inductances and drain resistance under active bias conditions

An analytic technique to determine the parasitic inductances, source resistance, and drain resistance of the FET equivalent circuit is presented in this paper. The method exploits the frequency dependence of the extracted circuit parameters to determine the parasitic inductances and drain resistance from S-parameters measured over frequency for one active bias condition. Given a value for the parasitic gate resistance R/sub g/, all of the other equivalent-circuit parameters are uniquely extracted. The method is fast and robust, making it suitable for in-line statistical process tracking, as well as device modeling. A process tracking example for a 12-wafer 1864-device sample and FET modeling results up to 40 GHz are also presented.

GaN Takes the Lead

Gallium nitride (GaN) technology is transforming RF monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for power amplifiers (PAs), switches, low noise amplifiers, and more. Vendors are now producing GaN MMICs in volume and achieving outstanding performance. GaNs characteristics enable PA MMICs with 35 times the output power of GaAs alternatives or much smaller die sizes from L-band through Ka-band. High-power switches with low insertion loss up through 18 GHz have been developed. Low-noise amplifiers have been demonstrated with noise figures equivalent to gallium arsenide (GaAs) but with much higher input power survivability. The market for GaN RF MMICs spans commercial and military applications, including base station, cable television infrastructure, communications, radar and electronic warfare (EW), among others.

A GaAs MHEMT distributed amplifier with 300-GHz gain-bandwidth product for 40-Gb/s optical applications

A distributed amplifier with greater than 13.4 dB gain and 65 GHz bandwidth has been demonstrated using 0.15 /spl mu/m metamorphic GaAs HEMT technology. The amplifier has an average noise figure of 3.1 dB from 2-40 GHz and an output 1-dB compression point of 11 dBm at 22 GHz. The group delay variation from 1 to 40 GHz is /spl plusmn/7.5 ps. The amplifier may be biased with a single supply voltage, and consumes only 105 mW. With these characteristics, the amplifier is ideally suited for 40-Gb/s optical networks.

A K-Band 5W Doherty Amplifier MMIC Utilizing 0.15µm GaN on SiC HEMT Technology

The design and performance of a K-Band Doherty amplifier MMIC is presented. The monolithic 2-stage amplifier was fabricated with a dual field plate 0.15um GaN on SiC HEMT process technology. Measured continuous wave results at 23GHz demonstrate over 5W of saturated output power and up to 48% power added efficiency. Peak efficiency occurs at approximately 1dB of gain compression and the amplifier maintains 25% power added efficiency at 8dB of input power back off from P1dB.