A Low Cost, Small Size, Second Source Compatible Single MMIC Chip for Direct Broadcast Satellite Reception at 12 GHz

This paper describes the transfer design study between the ANADIGICS and TCM LN05 processes for a Direct Broadcast Satellite MMIC front end in a second source objective. It is the first time that such a work is done concerning a large volume MMIC circuit for low cost consumer application. This chip includes on a very small area (2 mm2) a low noise amplifier, a mixer, a local Oscillator and an IF amplifier, replacing about 50 discrete components in a typical outdoor DBS receiver. The circuit is housed in a low cost hermetic TO5 package and requires only an external dielectric resonator to operate. Typical noise figure is below 5 dB with a typical conversion gain of 35 dB. The chip is designed to be fully second source compatible with an ANADIGICS DBS chip for specifications with the same pad and bias conditions. The technology used is the THOMSON COMPOSANTS MICROONDES (TCM) LN05 process which is by no means the same as ANADIGICS. To increase the yield and reduce the cost, a design without via-hole have been chosen.