Title :
A novel self-oscillating HEMT-HBT cascode VCO-mixer using an active tunable inductor
Author :
Kobayashi, Kevin W. ; Oki, Aaron K. ; Umemoto, Donald K. ; Block, Tomas Ray ; Streit, Dwight C.
Author_Institution :
TRW Electron. Syst. & Technol., Redondo Beach, CA, USA
fDate :
6/1/1998 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Here we describe a unique Ka-band self-oscillating HEMT-HBT cascode mixer design which integrates an active tunable resonator circuit. The VCO-mixer MMIC integrates GaAs HEMT´s and HBT´s using selective molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technology. The HEMT-HBT cascode active mixer operates similarly to a dual-gate mixer. The HBT of the cascode is used to construct a VCO by presenting the base with an HEMT tunable active inductor. The VCO can be tuned from 28.5 to 29.3 GHz while providing ≈0 dBm of output power. Operated as an upconverter, the MMIC achieves 6-9 dB conversion loss over a 31-39 GHz output frequency band. Using these active approaches, both VCO and mixer functions were integrated into a compact 1.44×0.76 mm2 chip area. The active RF integrated circuit (IC) techniques presented here have direct implications to future high complexity millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuits (MIMICs) for ultrahigh-speed clock recovery and digital radio applications
Keywords :
MIMIC; MMIC mixers; MMIC oscillators; active networks; analogue integrated circuits; circuit tuning; integrated circuit design; integrated circuit technology; millimetre wave mixers; millimetre wave oscillators; molecular beam epitaxial growth; voltage-controlled oscillators; 28.5 to 39 GHz; 6 to 9 dB; EHF; GaAs; GaAs HEMT; HEMT-HBT cascode VCO-mixer; Ka-band; SHF; active tunable inductor; digital radio applications; selective MBE technology; selective molecular beam epitaxy; self-oscillating VCO-mixer; tunable resonator circuit; ultrahigh-speed clock recovery; upconverter; Application specific integrated circuits; Digital integrated circuits; HEMTs; MIMICs; MMICs; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Monolithic integrated circuits; Radiofrequency integrated circuits; Tunable circuits and devices; Voltage-controlled oscillators;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of