Mixers and Multifunctional MMICs for Millimeter-Wave Applications
Doctoral thesis, 2008

This thesis treats the design and characterization of different mixer and multifunctional monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) in GaAs pHEMT and mHEMT technologies. The MMICs operate at the V (50 – 75 GHz) and G (140 – 220 GHz) bands and several of them demonstrate state-of-the-art performance, level of integration, novel topologies, and/or novel functionality. The multifunctional designs include V-band MMICs with various levels of integration. 60 GHz single-chip front-end transmitter and receiver MMICs with an on-chip multiply-by-eight LO chain are demonstrated together with a 60 GHz sub-harmonically pumped receiver MMIC. These are generic designs but are particularly suited for wireless transfer of high data rate signals (several Gbps). A 53 GHz single-chip radiometer front-end is also presented with 7 GHz of IF bandwidth and an integrated multiply-by-four LO chain. Furthermore, a 220 GHz single-chip receiver MMIC with an on-chip antenna is demonstrated. This MMIC is mounted on a silicon substrate lens which focuses the radiation to the on-chip antenna through an opening in the backside metallization of the MMIC. The noise figure is as low as 8.4 dB (1750 K) at 220 GHz including the losses in the lens and the antenna. The major part of this work deals with the analysis and design of different MMIC mixers. Several different mixer topologies exist depending on application and the choice of mixer often determines the topology and performance of the overall millimeter-wave system. Different mixer topologies are discussed and exemplified by several MMIC designs, starting with single-ended G-band resistive and drain mixers. Image reject mixers (IRMs) are discussed and the classical IRM theory found in the literature is enhanced by applying wave analysis. An IRM is presented with a state-of-the-art 30 dB of image rejection ratio in the 60 GHz band. Sub-harmonically pumped mixers are also analyzed using wave analysis and a novel sub-harmonically pumped mixer is demonstrated, utilizing only a quarter of the nominal LO frequency compared to a fundamentally pumped mixer. Mixer topologies for enhanced LO-to-RF isolation are presented and two mixer MMICs are demonstrated as well as a 60 GHz double-balanced Gilbert mixer with integrated RF, LO, and IF baluns.

G-band

double-balanced Gilbert mixer

sub-harmonically pumped resistive mixer

pHEMT

receiver

image reject mixer

dual-quadrature mixer

balanced resistive mixer

resistive mixer

220 GHz

high data rate

drain mixer

53 GHz

single-chip

V-band.

radiometer

mixer

broadband wireless communication

multifunctional

MMIC

GaAs

mHEMT

transmitter

60 GHz

Kollektorn (A423) - MC2, Kemivägen 9, Chalmers
Opponent: Prof. Huei Wang, National Taiwan University, TAIWAN

Author

Sten Gunnarsson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics

60 GHz Single-Chip Front-End MMICs and Systems for Multi-Gbps Wireless Communication

IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits,; Vol. 42(2007)p. 1143 - 1157

Journal article

Analysis and Design of Millimeter-Wave FET-Based Image Reject Mixers

IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech.,; Vol. 55(2007)p. 2065 - 2074

Journal article

A 60 GHz MMIC Double Balanced Gilbert Mixer in mHEMT technology with Integrated RF, LO, and IF Baluns

IEE Electronics Letters,; Vol. 42(2006)p. 1402-1403

Journal article

Highly Integrated 60 GHz Transmitter and Receiver MMICs in a GaAs pHEMT Technology

IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits,; (2005)

Journal article

A 60 GHz Compact Single-Chip Sub-Harmonically Pumped Receiver MMIC

2007 European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference,; (2007)

Paper in proceeding

A 60 GHz MMIC Dual-Quadrature Mixer in pHEMT technology for Ultra Wideband IF Signals and High LO to RF Isolation

2005 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium,; (2005)

Other conference contribution

pHEMT and mHEMT Ultra Wideband Millimeterwave Balanced Resistive Mixers

IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest,; Vol. 2(2004)p. 1141-1144

Other conference contribution

Subject Categories

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

ISBN

978-91-7385-071-1

Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 2752

Technical report MC2 - Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology: 107

Kollektorn (A423) - MC2, Kemivägen 9, Chalmers

Opponent: Prof. Huei Wang, National Taiwan University, TAIWAN

More information

Created

10/8/2017