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A comprehensive study of cryogenic cooled millimeter-wave frequency multipliers based on GaAs Schottky-barrier varactors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2018

Tom K. Johansen ,
Oleksandr Rybalko ,
Vitaliy Zhurbenko ,
Berhanu Bulcha  and
Jeffrey Hesler
Tom K. Johansen*
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Oleksandr Rybalko
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Vitaliy Zhurbenko
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Berhanu Bulcha
Affiliation:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Space Center, Greenbelt, USA
Jeffrey Hesler
Affiliation:
Virginia Diodes Inc., Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Tom K. Johansen, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The benefit of cryogenic cooling on the performance of millimeter-wave GaAs Schottky-barrier varactor-based frequency multipliers has been studied. For this purpose, a dedicated compact model of a GaAs Schottky-barrier varactor using a triple-anode diode stack has been developed for use with a commercial RF and microwave CAD tool. The model implements critical physical phenomena such as thermionic-field emission current transport at cryogenic temperatures, temperature dependent mobility, reverse breakdown, self-heating, and high-field velocity saturation effects. A parallel conduction model is employed in order to include the effect of barrier inhomogeneities which is known to cause deviation from the expected I--V characteristics at cryogenic temperatures. The developed model is shown to accurately fit the I--V --T dataset from 25 to 295 K measured on the varactor diode stack. Harmonic balance simulations using the model are used to predict the efficiency of a millimeter-wave balanced doubler from room to cryogenic temperatures. The estimation is verified experimentally using a 188 GHz balanced doubler cooled down to 77 K. The model has been further verified down to 14 K using a 78 GHz balanced doubler.

Keywords

Semiconductor Devices and IC-TechnologiesTeraHertz Technology and Applications
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 10 , Special Issue 2: EuCAP 2017 , March 2018 , pp. 217 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2018 

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