Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:29:40.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

243 GHz low-noise amplifier MMICs and modules based on metamorphic HEMT technology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2014

Axel Tessmann ,
Volker Hurm ,
Arnulf Leuther ,
Hermann Massler ,
Rainer Weber ,
Michael Kuri ,
Markus Riessle ,
Hans-Peter Stulz ,
Martin Zink  and
Michael Schlechtweg
...Show all authors
Axel Tessmann*
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Volker Hurm
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Arnulf Leuther
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Hermann Massler
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Rainer Weber
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Michael Kuri
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Markus Riessle
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Hans-Peter Stulz
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Martin Zink
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Michael Schlechtweg
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Oliver Ambacher
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF), Tullastr. 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany. Phone: +49 761 5159 539
Tapani Närhi
Affiliation:
European Space Research and Technology Center (ESA/ESTEC), P.O. Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
*
Corresponding author: A. Tessmann Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Two compact H-band (220–325 GHz) low-noise millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers have been developed, based on a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) technology utilizing 50 and 35 nm metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (mHEMTs). For low-loss packaging of the circuits, a set of waveguide-to-microstrip transitions has been realized on 50-μm-thick GaAs substrates demonstrating an insertion loss of <0.5 dB at 243 GHz. By applying the 50 nm gate-length process, a four-stage cascode amplifier module achieved a small-signal gain of 30.6 dB at 243 GHz and more than 28 dB in the bandwidth from 218 to 280 GHz. A second amplifier module, based on the 35-nm mHEMT technology, demonstrated a considerably improved gain of 34.6 dB at 243 GHz and more than 32 dB between 210 and 280 GHz. At the operating frequency, the two broadband low-noise amplifier modules achieved a room temperature noise figure of 5.6 dB (50 nm) and 5.0 dB (35 nm), respectively.

Keywords

Circuit design and applicationsLow-noise and communication receivers
Type
Research Paper
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 6 , Issue 3-4: European Microwave Week 2013 , June 2014 , pp. 215 - 223
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Lai, R. et al. : Sub 50 nm InP HEMT device with F max greater than 1 THz, in IEEE Electron Devices Meeting, December 2007, 609–611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Hacker, J. et al. : THz MMICs based on InP HBT technology, in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Dig., May 2010, 1126–1129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Leuther, A. et al. : 35 nm metamorphic HEMT MMIC technology, in 20th Int. Conf. on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials, MoA3.3, May 2008.Google Scholar
[4]Samoska, L.A.: An overview of solid-state integrated circuit amplifiers in the submillimeter-wave and THz regime. IEEE Trans. THz Sci. Technol., 1 (1) (2011), 9–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[5]Weber, R. et al. : An H-Band low-noise amplifier MMIC in 35 nm metamorphic HEMT technology, in Eur. Microwave Integrated Circuits Conf. (EuMIC), October 2012, 187–190.Google Scholar
[6]Schmalz, K.; Borngraeber, J.; Mao, Y.; Ruecker, H.; Weber, R.: A 245 GHz LNA in SiGe technology. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., 22 (10) (2012), 533–535.Google Scholar
[7]Gaier, T. et al. : Measurement of a 270 GHz low noise amplifier with 7.5 dB noise figure. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., 17 (7) (2007), 546–548.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[8]Sarkozy, S. et al. : Amplifier based broadband pixel for sub-millimeter wave imaging. Opt. Eng. 51 (9) (2012), 091602. http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.51.9.091602.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[9]Tessmann, A. et al. : A 243 GHz low-noise amplifier module for use in next-generation direct detection radiometers, in Eur. Microwave Integrated Circuits Conf. (EuMIC), October 2013, 220–223.Google Scholar
[10]Deal, W.; Mei, X.B.; Leong, K.M.K.H.; Radisic, V.; Sarkozy, S.; Lai, R.: THz monolithic integrated circuits using InP high electron mobility transistors. IEEE Trans. THz Sci. Technol., 1 (1) (2011), 25–32.Google Scholar
[11]Tessmann, A.; Leuther, A.; Massler, H.; Seelmann-Eggebert, A.: A high gain 600 GHz amplifier TMIC using 35 nm metamorphic HEMT technology, in 2012 IEEE CSIC Symp. Digest, October 2012, 1–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[12]Leuther, A. et al. : 50 nm MHEMT technology for G- and H-Band MMICs, in 19th Int. Conf. on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials, May 2007, 25–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]Hurm, V. et al. : A 243 GHz LNA module based on mHEMT MMICs with integrated waveguide transitions. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., 23 (9) (2010), 486–488.Google Scholar
[14]Varonen, M. et al. : 160–270-GHz InP HEMT MMIC low-noise amplifiers, in 2012 IEEE CSIC Symp. Digest, October 2012, 1–4.Google Scholar
[15]Fung, A. et al. : Low noise amplifier modules from 220–270 GHz, in Eur. Microwave Integrated Circuits Conf. (EuMIC), October 2013, 224–227.Google Scholar
[16]Deal, W.R. et al. : Scaling of InP HEMT cascode integrated circuits to THz frequencies, in 2010 IEEE CSIC Symp. Digest, October 2010, 1–4.Google Scholar
[17]Deal, W.R.: Solid-state amplifiers for terahertz electronics, in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest, May 2010, 1122–1125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar