Cryogenic Low-Noise mHEMT-Based MMIC Amplifiers for 4–12 GHz Band

Author

Aja, B. ; Schuster, K. ; Schäfer, F. ; Gallego, J.D. ; Chartier, S. ; Seelmann-Eggebert, M. ; Kallfass, I. ; Leuther, A. ; Massler, H. ; Schlechtweg, M. ; Diez, C. ; López-Fernandez, I. ; Lenz, S. ; Türk, S.

Author_Institution

Fraunhofer Inst. for Appl. Solid State Phys. (IAF), Freiburg, Germany

Volume

21

Issue

11

fYear

2011

Firstpage

613

Lastpage

615

Abstract

Two broadband very low-noise amplifiers operating in the frequency range from 4 to 12 GHz at cryogenic temperature are presented. The amplifier circuits have been developed using a 100 nm gate length InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistor (mHEMT) technology. The three-stage amplifiers are monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chips manufactured in coplanar technology. At cryogenic temperature the first MMIC amplifier achieved a linear gain of 22 dB and an average noise temperature of 11.6 K with a power dissipation of 41 mW. The second MMIC amplifier, with external input matching network, exhibited a gain of 26 dB, and an excellent average noise temperature of 8.1 K with a power dissipation of 12 mW. Both LNA units demonstrate broad bandwidth, high gain, low noise temperature, and compact chip size. The results obtained prove that mHEMT technology is suitable for applications in large instantaneous bandwidth cryogenic receivers for radio astronomy applications.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MMIC amplifiers; aluminium compounds; cryogenic electronics; gallium arsenide; high electron mobility transistors; indium compounds; low noise amplifiers; InAlAs-InGaAs; MMIC chips; amplifier circuits; broadband very low-noise amplifiers; coplanar technology; cryogenic low-noise mHEMT-based MMIC amplifiers; cryogenic temperature; frequency 4 GHz to 12 GHz; gain 22 dB; gain 26 dB; metamorphic high electron mobility transistor; monolithic microwave integrated circuit; power 12 mW; power 41 mW; size 100 nm; temperature 11.6 K; temperature 8.1 K; Cryogenics; Impedance matching; MMICs; Noise measurement; mHEMTs; Cryogenics; low-noise amplifier (LNA); metamorphic high electron mobility transistor (mHEMT); monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2011.2167502

Filename

6035997