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With operational spacecraft in excess of 10 astronomical units from Earth, NASA's Deep Space Network requires sensitive receivers for detection of weak spacecraft signals.
In this paper, we present an overview of high frequency Monolithic Millimeter-wave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) amplifiers and discuss the state of the art for low noise amplifiers and power amplifiers.
We present results on an InP monolithic millimeter- wave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier having 10-dB gain at 235 GHz. We designed this circuit and fabricated the chip in Northrop Grumman Space Technology's (NGST) 0.07- m InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process. Using a WR3 (220-325 GHz) waveguide vector network analyzer system interfaced to waveguide wafer probes, we measured this chip on-wafer for -parameters. To our knowledge, this is the first time a WR3 waveguide on-wafer measurement system has been used to measure gain in a MMIC amplifier above 230 GHz.
This viewgraph presentation surveys the fastest Monolithic Millimeter-wave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) amplifiers to date; summarize previous solid state power amp results to date; reviews examples of MMICs, reviews Power vs. Gate periphery and frequency; Summarizes previous LNA results to date; reviews Noise figure results and trends toward higher frequency
In this work, the concept of a G-band transmit/receive (T/R) module centered at 160 GHz was discussed. The design makes use of state-of-the-art G-band MMIC low noise amplifiers and power amplifiers, and a high speed SPDT InGaAs PIN diode switch. The paper reports on the designs, chip results, and the integration concept for a 160 GHz T/R module. The G-band T/R module has applications toward precision altimetry and velocimetry measurements in landing radar, such as in future planetary landers on the surface of Mars
Atmospheric science and weather forecasting require measurements of the temperature and humidity vs. altitude. These sounding measurements are obtained at frequencies close to the resonance frequencies of oxygen (118 GHz) and water (183 GHz) molecules. We have characterized a broadband amplifier that will increase the sensitivity of sounding and other instruments at these frequencies. This study demonstrated for the first t1me continuous low noise amplification from 100 to 180 GHz. The measured InP monolithic millimeter-wave Integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier had more than 18 dB of gain from 100 to 180 GHz and 15 dB of gain up to 220 GHz. This is the widest bandwidth low noise amplifier result at these frequencies to date. The circuit was fabricated in Northrop Grumman Corporation 35 nm InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT).
The operating frequency of InP integrated circuits has pushed well into the Submillimeter Wave frequency band, with amplification reported as high as 670 GHz. This paper provides an overview of current performance and potential application of InP HEMT to Submillimeter Wave radiometers for earth remote sensing.
Internally calibrated radiometers are needed for ocean topography and other missions. Typically internal calibration is achieved with Dicke switching as one of the techniques. We have developed high frequency single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switches in the form of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) that can be easily integrated into Dicke switched radiometers that utilize microstrip technology. In particular, the switches we developed can be used for a radiometer such as the one proposed for the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Satellite Mission whose three channels at 92, 130, and 166 GHz would allow for wet-tropospheric path delay correction near coastal zones and over land. This feat is not possible with the current Jason-class radiometers due to their lower frequency signal measurement and thus lower resolution. The MMIC chips were fabricated at NGST using their InP PIN diode process and measured at JPL using high frequency test equipment. Measurement and simulation results will be presented.