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A subharmonic front-end in SiGe:C technology for 94-GHz imaging arrays

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2009

Erik Öjefors ,
Johannes Borngräber ,
Falk Korndörfer  and
Ullrich Pfeiffer
Erik Öjefors*
Affiliation:
Institute of High-Frequency and Communication Technology, University of Wuppertal, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, D-42119 Wuppertal, Germany.
Johannes Borngräber
Affiliation:
IHP Microelectronics GmbH, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.
Falk Korndörfer
Affiliation:
IHP Microelectronics GmbH, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany.
Ullrich Pfeiffer
Affiliation:
Institute of High-Frequency and Communication Technology, University of Wuppertal, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, D-42119 Wuppertal, Germany.
*
Corresponding author: E. Öjefors Email: erik.ojefors@ieee.org
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Abstract

The design of a subharmonic downconverter for 94-GHz imaging arrays in SiGe:C technology is presented. A three-stage differential low-noise amplifier (LNA) with lumped matching networks is used together with a subharmonic mixer driven by a single-pole local-oscillator poly-phase network to form the front-end. The LNA yields 15 dB gain at 94 GHz, while the mixer provides 5 dB conversion gain over a 10 GHz IF bandwidth. The integrated downconverter provides 20 dB conversion gain at 94 GHz with an input 1-dB compression point of −31 dBm and has a current consumption of 45 mA at a 3.3 V supply voltage. The total required die area of the complete downconverter (excluding pad frame) is 0.1 mm, thus making it particularly suitable as a front-end in multi-channel receiver systems.

Keywords

Millimeter wave integrated circuitsDownconverterSilicon germaniumSubharmonic mixerLow-noise amplifier
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 1 , Special Issue 4: European Microwave Week 2008 , August 2009 , pp. 361 - 368
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2009

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References

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