Broad-band HBT BPSK and IQ modulator MMICs and millimeter-wave vector signal characterization

Reflection-type binary phase-shift keying and in-phase and quadrature modulator monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are reported in this paper. These MMICs are fabricated by 1-μm HBT process and evaluated successfully under vector signal characterization. A cold-mode HBT device model with varying bias conditions is proposed, which is suitable for millimeter-wave circuit design and simulation. The analysis and design equations of imbalance effects for the reflection-type modulators are also presented. These MMICs demonstrate measured error vector magnitude of less than 12%, a carrier rejection of better than 15 dB, and an adjacent channel power ratio of better than -21 dBc from 50 to 110 GHz.