A Compact 60 GHz Integrated Up-Converter Using Miniature Transformer Couplers With 5 dB Conversion Gain

A 60 GHz singly balanced subharmonic up-converter is presented in this letter. The monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip is implemented using a standard 0.13 mu m mixed-signal/radio frequency (RF) CMOS process. This circuit combines a subharmonic mixer and a three-stage cascode output amplifier. A new miniature transformer coupler is used to provide the local oscillation (LO) signals with 90^deg phase difference to achieve subharmonic mixing. This MMIC demonstrates a conversion gain of 5 dB for RF frequency from 58 to 66 GHz, and the 2LO-to-RF isolation is over 40 dB. The chip size is only 0.366 mm ².