Millimeter-wave components and subsystems built using microstriptechnology

The author describes the evaluation of microstrip as a transmission medium for components and subsystems operating in the millimeter wavebands. The manufacturing process for thin-film MICs on single-crystal quartz is described. The microwave integrated circuit (MIC) manufacturing process is suitable for high-value manufacturing of highly integrated subsystems since manufacturing costs for the circuits are almost independent of the number of circuit functions. Designs for various circuit elements are discussed, and an integrated subsystem is described in which MIC techniques are used to produce a miniature millimeter-wave distance-measuring sensor. Range measurement results for the miniature sensor are presented     

MMIC毫米波倍频器的研究

在介绍倍频器工作原理、各种实现方法及其优缺点的基础上,阐明了采用MMIC(单片微波集成电路)工艺实现高性能、高可靠性、小型化毫米波倍频器芯片的技术特点及应用需求,比较了单管和平衡两种不同结构MMIC毫米波倍频器的优点与不足,全面综述了国内外对MMIC毫米波倍频器的研究情况,介绍了MMIC毫米波倍频器的最新研究进展,展望了MMIC毫米波倍频器的发展趋势,提出了一些建议。     

On the modeling of metal strip antennas contiguous with the edge ofelectrically thick finite size dielectric substrates

A solution to the problem of radiation by a narrow metal strip antenna contiguous with the edge of a dielectric substrate is presented where the substrate has parameters such that its electrical thickness is appreciable. Such an antenna may be useful at millimeter wavelengths as an integrated phased array element forming a part of a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). A suitable geometry for this application is illustrated and an efficient computational procedure developed. Comparisons with experimental results for the input impedance and far-field radiation patterns show excellent agreement. The influence of the dielectric substrate on the performance of an antenna designed to operate at approximately 60 GHz is discussed. Two examples, the first involving the analysis of a coplanar strip transmission line fed antenna and the second involving impedance matching and control of cross-polarized radiation using a folded strip dipole, are given to illustrate practical applications of the analytical method to design problems     

A CAD-suitable approach for the analysis of nonuniform MMIC andMHMIC transmission lines

A new method of moment-based formulation for the solution of the telegraphist's equations in nonuniform transmission lines is presented. Entire domain basis functions that build in a frequency variation are used to cover wider frequency and physical dimension ranges. The results obtained using the proposed formulation are validated by comparison to those obtained by a CAD package and to measured data. Different nonuniform lines in microstrip and coplanar technologies on monolithic microwave/millimeter wave integrated circuit (MMIC) and miniaturized hybrid microwave integrated circuit (MHMIC) substrates are investigated with an application to the design a matched taper transition in a MMIC coplanar line     

MIMIC from the Department of Defense perspective

The microwave and millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits (MIMIC) program is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiative to provide affordable, reliable, and reproducible microwave and millimeter-wave circuits in monolithic format for use in US Department of Defense (DoD) systems. The objectives of the program, progress being made toward meeting those objectives, and some planned future work are described. The overall program object is to provide the needed microwave and millimeter-wave products at a price that will allow their use in fielded DoD systems, that meet all required electrical, mechanical, and environmental parameters, and that continue to operate reliably for the time necessary to fulfil their intended application. Programs in progress include work on gallium arsenide epitaxial growth techniques; multiple chip ceramic packages, process, device, and circuit modeling; on-wafer testing techniques; and advanced fabrication techniques     

A Broadband Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) Planar Balun

A broadband planar balun is presented in this work that makes use of a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technique using a printed circuit board process. The proposed balun structure is able to operate at millimeter wave frequencies and it does not require any tight line coupling sections as frequently used in monolithic microwave integrated circuit balun design. In addition, this balun can be integrated with other planar topologies including nonplanar circuits made of the same substrate for achieving high efficiency. This balun structure consists of a 3 dB SIW power divider and microstrip lines that are placed on both sides of the substrate at balanced ports to obtain an 180deg phase shift. The concept is validated by simulations and measurements. Our measured results suggest that a 10 dB return loss at unbalanced port can easily be achieved across a 42% bandwidth from 19 to 29 GHz. Measured amplitude and phase imbalance between two balanced ports are within 1 dB and plusmn5deg, respectively.     

A novel FET model including an illumination intensity parameter forsimulation of optically controlled millimeter-wave oscillators

This paper demonstrates an illuminated FET model including an illumination-intensity parameter for simulation of optical characteristics of microwave and millimeter wave integrated circuits (MMIC's). Modeling for an illuminated GaAs MESFET and an InP high electron-mobility transistor (HEMT), and analysis and experimental results from optically controlled microwave and millimeter-wave hybrid integrated circuit (HIC) and MMIC oscillators are discussed. The proposed illuminated FET model was able to explain the photoresponse of both the GaAs MESFET and the InP HEMT, and the photooperation of their circuits     

A Technique for Measuring Phase at Millimeter Wavelengths

A technique for measuring the phase of millimeter signals in free space is described that uses a reference signal of varying phase. The phase of the reference signal is measured independently and subtracted from the total phase measured to determine the desired phase. The use of a varying reference phase is necessary because flexible or movable waveguide whose phase characteristics can readily be measured are not available at millimeter wavelengths. The theory of the technique described is based upon the interference pattern of slowly varying electric fields.     

微带滤波器在EHF频段的应用研究

微带滤波器是微波电路中广泛使用的一种滤波器,但在毫米波频段,常规形式的模型和设计会出现性能恶化和无法实现加工等方面的问题。给出了一种利用改进的短截线形式的滤波器模型制作EHF频段带通滤波器的实例,并给出了仿真优化过程和测试结果,证明了该设计方法的正确性,扩展了微带滤波器在毫米波应用的范围。     

微波毫米波多芯片模块三维互联与封装技术

微波毫米波固态有源相控阵天线在通信、雷达和导航等电子装备中得到广泛应用,三维互联与封装技术是研制小型化、高集成和高可靠有源相控阵天线的微波毫米波多芯片模块(MMCM)的关键技术。通过开展三维多层多芯片热布局优化设计,使MMCM 温度分布均匀,保证三维MMCM 可靠工作。通过研发含有双面高精度腔体的低温共烧陶瓷(LTCC)多层电路基板,并采用球栅阵列(Ball Grid Array, BGA)和毛纽扣微波毫米波垂直互联工艺、激光密封焊接工艺,研制出小型化、高性能和高可靠性的三维微波毫米波多芯片模块,满足新一代微波毫米波相控阵天线技术要求。     

用于制造微波多芯片组件的LTCC技术

低温共烧陶瓷(LTCC)是实现微波多芯片组件(MMCM)的一种理想的组装技术,具有高集成密度、多种电路功能和高可靠性等技术优势.介绍了国内外应用于微波组件的LTCC技术发展现状,概述了LTCC的制造工艺流程,分析了其关键工艺难点,对LTCC基板电路的设计进行了详细阐述,并讨论了埋层电阻的设计和微带线和带状线间的垂直微波互联的方式.利用LTCC技术研制的微波多芯片组件,在现代雷达和通讯领域具有广泛的应用前景.     

Electromagnetic design aspects of packages for monolithic microwaveintegrated circuit-based arrays with integrated antenna elements

Reliable and cost-effective packaging of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) is an important aspect of the design of phased array systems. At millimeter wavelengths, where small dimensions make machining and assembly a complex matter, the interconnections between the modules housing the MMIC components and the antenna elements are a source of unreliability as well as a potential problem in terms of electromagnetic losses. One solution involves the integration of antenna elements onto the MMIC chips. The paper addresses the issues involved in packaging and housing MMIC chips with integrated antenna elements and presents some insights into the electromagnetic design of such packages     

On the Cutoff Wavelength of Rectangular-Shaped Microshield Line by Edge Element Method

In this paper, the cutoff characteristic of rectangular-shaped microshield transmission line has been analysed by edge element method. Dependence of cutoff wavelengths on the thickness of metallic signal strip, dielectric constant of dielectric substrate and the width of the rectangular-shaped ground conductor are presented in tabular form. Numerical results in this paper have important values in design of rectangular-shaped microshield lines in microwave and millimeter wave integrated circuits.     

Millimeter Integrated Circuits Suspended in the E-Plane of Rectangular Waveguide

Progress concerning a class of planar millimeter circuits is reported. The circuits are photoetched into one or more conductor layers and are suspended with or without dielectric layers, in the E-plane of one or more rectangular waveguides. The class includes the integrated fin Iine, the planar structure introduced by Konishi and a four-port printed-probe circuit. Such circuits feature standard waveguide flanges, printed-circuit economy, low insertion Ioss, wide single-mode bandwidth, and compatibility with low-parasitic hybrid devices. Furthermore, the equivalent dielectric constant can be close to unity, which is advantageous at millimeter wavelengths. The design and performance are reported of new E-plane millimeter components including a wide-band high-isolation low-loss SPST switch, a balanced mixer, an endfire antenna, and a four-port coupler applicable to planar channel-dropping networks. The versatility, performance, and construction features of the E-plane approach are relevant to advanced, highly integrated, millimeter systems.     

Generation of microwave oscillations in a log-periodic antenna integrated with a field-effect transistor

Generation of microwave oscillations in a hybrid integrated circuit comprising a field-effect transistor and a log-periodic microstrip antenna on a dielectric substrate is experimentally investigated. Generation is observed at both the fundamental harmonic and higher frequencies corresponding to the antenna resonances in the frequency band 6–60 GHz. Possibilities of optimizing the generator design are studied in application to operation in centimeter and millimeter wave bands.     

Hot-carrier microwave detector

A microwave detector based on the thermoelectric effect of warm carriers in bulk semiconductors is described. An analysis of device performance is presented, which is based on the assumption of a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for the heated carriers. The performance of a number of experimental devices at millimeter and centimeter wavelengths is shown to be in good agreement with analytic predictions. Outstanding characteristics of these devices are high detection sensitivity, high burn-out power, and high electrical stability over long periods of use.     

Nonohmic Contact Planar Varactor Frequency Upconverters for Terahertz Applications

The development of tunerless millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelength frequency upconverters with integrated planar varactor circuits is described in this paper. An upconverter operating at 200 GHz is implemented as a proof-of-principle demonstration, and designs using both ohmic and nonohmic contacts are tested. The nonohmic contact facilitates fabrication. Both the ohmic and nonohmic devices produced similar performance. Using the nonohmic cathode contact technique and an air-bridge process, 1.6-THz integrated upconverter circuits are fabricated, and the conversion loss is measured to be approximately 22 dB with 40 muW of output sideband power with a 10-GHz microwave pump. A phase-shift measurement for the 1.6-THz upconverter using a standing wave method is described and used to corroborate the results     

玻璃通孔的高频传输性能

随着玻璃通孔(TGV)制作工艺的成熟,微波毫米波系统采用玻璃基板进行集成,其高频传输特性成为研究的重点.对玻璃通孔的互连设计、制作和传输性能进行研究.在玻璃基板上分别设计直通传输线和带两个TGV、等长传输线的TGV传输结构;通过激光改性、腐蚀扩孔和电镀填充的TGV工艺制作技术以及薄膜电路布线技术,在玻璃基板上制作直通传...     

A Simple Technique for the Accurate Determination of the Microwave Dielectric Constant for Microwave Integrated Circuit Substrates (Correspondence)

A method of determining the microwave dielectric constant of microwave integrated circuit substrates is described. The technique is especially suitable to substrates being prepared for MICs since they are, in general, regular, rectangular, and, therefore, simple resonators. The dielectric constant using this technique has been determined in the 2- to 12-GHz range for GaAs (/spl epsiv/R = 12.46), sapphire (/spl epsiv/R =9.37), polyguide (/spl epsiv/ =2.33), and Alsimag 772 (/spl epsiv/R = 10.08).