A WR4 Amplifier Module Chain With an 87 K Noise Temperature at 228 GHz

Abstract

In this letter we report an ultra-low-noise amplifier module chain in the WR4 frequency range. The amplifier chips were fabricated in a 35 nm InP HEMT technology and packaged in waveguide housings utilizing quartz E-plane waveguide probes. When cryogenically cooled to 22 K and measured through a mylar vacuum window, the amplifier module chain achieves a receiver noise temperature of 87 K at 228 GHz and less than a 100 K noise temperature from 217 to 236 GHz. The LNA modules have 21-31 dB gain and the power dissipation is 12.4-15.8 mW. To the best of authors' knowledge, these are the lowest LNA noise temperatures at these frequencies reported to date.

A Broadband THz On-Chip Transition Using a Dipole Antenna with Integrated Balun

“…Measurement of the fabricated on-chip transition in 250 nm InP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology, shows wideband impedance match and low insertion loss at H-band frequencies (220-320 GHz), without in-band resonances, due to the properly placed backside vias.Electronics 2018, 7, 236 2 of 12 implemented with planar transmission lines, such as microstrip lines and coplanar waveguides in a quasi-transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode. Therefore, transition with a low loss and broad bandwidth is an indispensable component of converting the modes of EM fields between TMICs and rectangular waveguides.There are several publications on rectangular waveguide-to-microstrip transitions at THz frequencies [11][12][13][14][15]. Off-chip transitions are designed using thin substrates with low loss and low dielectric constant (ε r ), such as 50-µm-thick quartz with ε r = 3.8, allowing a wideband low-loss performance [14,15].…”

“…There are several publications on rectangular waveguide-to-microstrip transitions at THz frequencies [11][12][13][14][15]. Off-chip transitions are designed using thin substrates with low loss and low dielectric constant (ε r ), such as 50-µm-thick quartz with ε r = 3.8, allowing a wideband low-loss performance [14,15].…”

Optimization of spaceflight millimeter-wave impedance matching networks using laser trimming

“…This is usually achieved through the application of a waveguide-to-microstrip (WG-MS) transition that transforms the impedance of the waveguide channel to the optimal conjugate impedance of the MMIC input or output port. At millimeter wavelengths, the WG-MS transition is typically fabricated from a thin film gold conductive layer, ∼3 μm in thickness, which is deposited onto a thin, <100 μm, quartz or alumina substrate and then suitably patterned to form a sequence of distributed elements [1][2][3].…”

“…Using WG-MS transitions at frequencies higher than 100 GHz presents three particular challenges: (1) due to the uncertainties in pre-packaging on-wafer probing, it is often difficult to determine precisely the optimal impedance required by the MMIC [4,5]; (2) simulating the interaction between the MMIC and the WG-MS transition is highly complex and thus prone to error; (3) once installed, the fabricated transition cannot be tuned in order to optimize the device packaged performance, i.e. to correct for the errors that may arise from 1 and 2.…”

A D-Band Rectangular Waveguide-to-Coplanar Waveguide Transition Using Wire Bonding Probe

“…The antenna is patterned on the substrate and the bandwidth of the transition is limited by the designed wideband antenna. Among other types of transitions, E-plane probe exhibit noticeable performances for the circuits based on CPW and microstrip especially at millimeter-wave and submillimeter-wave frequencies [10]- [19]. The probe is patterned on a substrate inserting into a rectangular waveguide through an aperture cut in the center of the broadwall parallel to the longitudinal axis.…”