Title :
K-band receiver front-ends in a GaAs metamorphic HEMT process
Author :
Matinpour, Babak ; Lal, Neeraj ; Laskar, Joy ; Leoni, Robert E., III ; Whelan, Colin S.
Author_Institution :
RF Solutions Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA
fDate :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
In this paper, we present K-band receiver blocks fabricated in a state-of-the-art 0.18-μm GaAs metamorphic high electron-mobility transistor (MHEMT) process using a 60% indium-content InGaAs channel. Several circuits are developed to demonstrate the superior noise performance and successful integration of K-band receiver components in such a process. We show a low-power three-stage low-noise amplifier (LNA) with a gain of 23 dB and a noise figure (NF) of less than 1.6 dB at 30 GHz. This LNA shows InP-like performance on a GaAs substrate with a high RF yield of 84%. This is the first report of a statistical yield analysis of an MHEMT integrated circuit. We also demonstrate on-chip integration of a single-stage amplifier with a diode subharmonic mixer for low-power and broad-band receiver performance. This down-converter exhibits a conversion loss of 3 dB, overall NF of 5 dB, and third-order input intercept point of -5 dBm from 26 to 30 GHz
Keywords :
HEMT integrated circuits; III-V semiconductors; MMIC amplifiers; MMIC frequency convertors; MMIC mixers; field effect MMIC; gallium arsenide; high electron mobility transistors; indium compounds; integrated circuit measurement; integrated circuit noise; integrated circuit yield; microwave receivers; statistical analysis; 0.18 micron; 1.6 dB; 10.9 to 36 GHz; 23 dB; 26 to 30 GHz; 3 dB; 5 dB; GaAs metamorphic HEMT process; GaAs metamorphic high electron-mobility transistor process; GaAs substrate; InGaAs channel; InP-like performance; K-band receiver blocks; K-band receiver component integration; K-band receiver front-ends; LNA; LNA gain; LNA noise figure; MHEMT integrated circuit; MMIC mixers; NIMIC receivers; RF yield; conversion loss; diode subharmonic mixer; down-converter; indium-content; low-power broad-band receiver performance; low-power three-stage low-noise amplifier; microwave circuits; microwave frequency conversion; microwave mixers; microwave receivers; noise performance; on-chip integration; overall NF; single-stage amplifier; statistical yield analysis; third-order input intercept point; Circuit noise; Gallium arsenide; HEMTs; Indium gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit yield; K-band; Low-noise amplifiers; MODFETs; Noise measurement; mHEMTs;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
