Small-size 72-GHz-band transceiver modules utilizing IF self-heterodyne transmission technology

A 72 GHz-band transceiver is developed for millimeter-wave short-range wireless access systems. To eliminate an oscillator for the receiver and to avoid the degradation of the signal quality due to the phase noise of a transmitter oscillator, we employ a novel IF self-heterodyne transmission scheme. For multi-chip modules (MCMs), coplanar devices are mounted in multi-layer LTCC packages. At an IF frequency of 4.4 GHz and an RF frequency of 72.4 GHz, an output power of 6.6 dBm at 1 dB gain compression point is obtained for the transmitter. For two-tone RF signals of 71.8 and 72.4 GHz, the receiver provides an IF output power of -50 dBm at a total input power of -40 dBm. The total size of the transmitter, receiver and DC power supply/control boards is 89 mm/spl times/83 mm.