Low noise amplifier for 180 GHz frequency band

Author

Kangaslahti, Pekka ; Pukala, David ; Gaier, Todd ; Deal, William ; Mei, Xiaobing ; Lai, Richard

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91109, USA

fYear

2008

fDate

15-20 June 2008

Firstpage

451

Lastpage

454

Abstract

Measurement of the humidity profile of the atmosphere is highly important for atmospheric science and weather forecasting. This sounding measurement is obtained at frequencies close to the resonance frequency of water molecules (183 GHz). We have designed and characterized a MMIC low noise amplifier that will increase the sensitivity of sounding instruments at these frequencies. This study demonstrated a factor of two improvement in MMIC LNA noise temperature at this frequency band. The measured packaged InP monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier had a noise temperature of NT=390 K (NF=3.7 dB). The circuit was fabricated in 35 nm InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process.

Keywords

MMIC amplifiers; low noise amplifiers; HEMT process; MMIC low noise amplifier; atmosphere humidity profile; atmospheric science; frequency 180 GHz; frequency 183 GHz; frequency band; high electron mobility transistor; monolithic microwave integrated circuits; monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuit amplifier; resonance frequency; size 35 nm; sounding instruments; water molecules; weather forecasting; Acoustic noise; Atmospheric measurements; Frequency; HEMTs; Humidity measurement; Indium phosphide; Integrated circuit noise; Low-noise amplifiers; MMICs; Temperature sensors; MMIC.; high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs); indium phosphide; millimeter wave field-effect transistor (FET) amplifiers; monolithic millimeter wave integ low noise amplifier;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Symposium Digest, 2008 IEEE MTT-S International

Conference_Location

Atlanta, GA

ISSN

0149-645X

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-1780-3

Electronic_ISBN

0149-645X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MWSYM.2008.4633200

Filename

4633200