Huei Wang

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.

Forward-looking automotive radar using a W-band single-chip transceiver

A prototype W-band all-weather automotive radar based on a single-chip 0.1-/spl mu/m AlGaAs-InGaAs-GaAs HEMT transceiver has been developed. This radar has the features of simple architecture and small size, with adequate performance. Owing to the maturity of HEMT MMIC technology, this radar is potentially low cost to implement in personal vehicles. The prototype radar used for autonomous intelligent cruise control in a passenger car is presented in this paper. The MMIC development, together with the radar system design, is also addressed. >

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. >

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. >

High-yield W-band monolithic HEMT low-noise amplifier and image rejection downconverter chips

High-yield W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), namely, a three-stage low-noise amplifier (LNA) and a monolithic image rejection downconverter (IRD), are discussed. The LNA is used as the front end followed by an image rejection mixer (IRM). These MMICs were fabricated in the 0.1- mu m AlGaAs-InGaAs-GaAs HEMT production line. The LNA demonstrated a typical 17-dB gain and 4.5-5.5-dB noise figure at 94 GHz. The complete monolithic IRD has a measured conversion gain of 7-9 dB with a single-side-band noise figure of 6 dB when downconverting a 93-95-GHz RF signal to 50-500 MHz. The downconversion requires an LO power of 9 dBm. The development of these MMICs shows the increasing maturity of GaAs-based HEMT MMIC technology at W-band.<<ETX>>

A Ka-band monolithic single-chip transceiver using sub-harmonic mixer

This paper presents development of a Ka-band (38 GHz) single-chip transceiver based on GaAs HEMT MMIC technology. The transceiver chip utilizes a sub-harmonic mixer in receiving chain such that LO-to-RF port isolation can be improved by more than 20 dB without sacrificing chip compactness. In addition the DC power consumption can be reduced to about one-half of the conventional transceiver with a direct mixer receiver. To date this single-chip transceiver chip has demonstrated a measured LO-to-RF input port isolation of 62 dB, LO-to-RF transmitter port isolation of 52 dB and a power consumption of 1.0 and 3.4 watt in receive and transmit modes respectively. The receiver noise figure achieves 9 dB across the RF band from 38.0 to 38.6 GHz with an IF of 2.38 GHz under 4 dBm LO drive. The conversion gain was measured to be greater than 17 dB.This paper presents development of a Ka-band (38 GHz) single-chip transceiver based on GaAs HEMT MMIC technology. The transceiver chip utilizes a sub-harmonic mixer in receiving chain such that LO-to-RF port isolation can be improved by more than 20 dB without sacrificing chip compactness. In addition the dc power consumption can be reduced to about one-half of the conventional transceiver with a direct mixer receiver. To date this single-chip transceiver chip has demonstrated a measured LO-to-RF input port isolation of 62 dB, LO-to-RF transmitter port isolation of 52 dB and a power consumption of 1.0 and 3.4 watt in receive and transmit modes respectively. The receiver noise figure achieves 9 dB across the RF band from 38.0 to 38.6 GHz with an IF of 2.38 GHz under 4 dBm LO drive. The conversion gain was measured to be greater than 17 dB.

120 and 60 GHz monolithic InP-based HEMT diode sub-harmonic mixer

Monolithic sub-harmonic mixers are designed using two circuit topologies for RF frequencies at 60 and 120 GHz. They are fabricated on a 3-mil thick InP substrate using 0.1 /spl mu/m pseudomorphic InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT process. On-wafer measurements from 110 to 120 GHz at an IF of 7.8 GHz show a minimum conversion loss of 14.3 dB with 8.2 dBm of a subharmonic LO drive. This is the first demonstration of a monolithic HEMT diode sub-harmonic mixer at 120 GHz. The 60 GHz sub-harmonic mixer achieves a minimum conversion loss of less than 12 dB at an LO drive of 13 dBm. The conversion loss dependence on LO drive power and RF frequency are presented. Results indicate that within the band of interest at 120 GHz the mixer performance remains admirable even when LO drive is as little as 5.3 dBm.

A 6 watt Ka-band MMIC power module using MMIC power amplifiers

In this paper we present the development of a 6 Watt 24% PAE Ka-band power module with an associated power gain of 21.5 dB. The power module consists of a driver amplifier and two power amplifier chips. These MMIC amplifiers were fabricated with a 2-mil thick substrate using 0.15-/spl mu/m InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs HEMT technology. The driver amplifier is a fully matched single-ended design with an output power of 27.5 dBm, a 10.7 dB power gain and 27% PAE. We use a hybrid approach for the output power amplifier which consists of two partially-matched MMIC chips and a 8-way Wilkinson combiner fabricated on alumina substrate. The MMIC power amplifiers delivered a record power of 35.4 dBm (3.5 W) with a PAE of 28% and an associated power gain of 11.5 dB. The 8-way combiner has an insertion loss of 0.6 dB. We believe this is a new benchmark for power module using monolithic approach at this frequency range.

A W-band source module using MMIC's

A W-band source module providing 4-GHz tuning bandwidth (92.5-96.5 GHz) has been developed. This module consists of three MMIC chips fabricated in TRW production lines, which are a 23.5 GHz HBT VCO, a 23.5 to 94 GHz HEMT frequency quadrupler and a W-band three-stage HEMT output amplifier. It exhibits a measured peak output power of 3 dBm at 94-95 GHz and a 3-dB tuning bandwidth greater than 3 GHz, with a phase noise of -90 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. This work demonstrates a new and efficient way to implement high performance W-band source. Its wide tuning bandwidth with good phase noise performance, as well as design simplicity, makes this approach attractive for many W-band system applications. >

Monolithic 23.5 to 94 GHz frequency quadrupler using 0.1 /spl mu/m pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs HEMT technology

A monolithic 23.5 to 94 GHz frequency quadrupler based on 0.1 /spl mu/m pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology has been developed. This frequency quadrupler consists of a 23.5 to 47 GHz doubler, a 47 to 94 GHz doubler, and a 47 GHz buffer amplifier between the two doublers. It exhibits a measured conversion loss of 5-7 dB at output frequency from 94 to 98 GHz. To our knowledge, this is the first reported W-band (75-110 GHz) monolithic frequency quadrupler using HEMT technology. It can be integrated with 23.5 GHz VCOs to construct low phase noise and stable frequency sources around 94 GHz.<<ETX>>