Multilayer Dual-Mode Dual-Bandpass Filter

A dual-mode dual-bandpass filter for the U-NII bands is proposed and demonstrated. Its effective size reduction is achieved by using a multilayer configuration. The first and the third layers incorporate microstrip dual-mode bandpass filters with operating center-frequencies of f₁ =5.2 GHz and f₂ =5.8 GHz, respectively. The second layer is used as a common ground plane for both filters, which also serves as a decoupling interface. Capacitive coupling transition is used to connect both filters to I/O coplanar waveguide (CPW) ports. Single and dual-band passband filter prototypes are designed, fabricated, and measured in this work, thus validating the design principle. Designed topologies of single passband filters with center frequencies of 5.2 and 5.8 GHz exhibit an out-of-band rejection better than 40 dB with a 3 dB bandwidth of 5.8% and 6%, respectively. The proposed multilayer dual-passband response with center frequencies of 5.2 and 5.8 GHz provide band-to-band isolation better than 30 dB. Measured insertion losses are lower than 2.76 dB, with 3 dB bandwidth lower than 5%.     

Design of triple mode TE01δ resonator transmissionfilters

The use of triple mode TE_01δ cubic resonators for the design of transmission mode filters is presented. Frequency tuning and coupling between modes are studied experimentally. The tunability of all inter-cavity couplings, necessary for the realization of a wide range of transfer functions, is demonstrated with a 6th degree, 5 MHz wide filter at 2 GHz. With an insertion loss of 0.7 dB in a volume of 260 cm³, the filter presents a 2:1 volume reduction over conventional TE_01δ filters     

AlSb/InAs HEMT's for low-voltage, high-speed applications

The design, fabrication, and characterization of 0.1 μm AlSb/InAs HEMT's are reported. These devices have an In_0.4Al _0.6As/AlSb composite barrier above the InAs channel and a p ⁺ GaSb layer within the AlSb buffer layer. The HEMT's exhibit a transconductance of 600 mS/mm and an f_T of 120 GHz at V_Ds=0.6 V. An intrinsic f_T of 160 GHz is obtained after the gate bonding pad capacitance is removed from an equivalent circuit. The present HEMT's have a noise figure of 1 dB with 14 dB associated gain at 4 GHz and V_Ds=0.4 V. Noise equivalent circuit simulation indicates that this noise figure is primarily limited by gate leakage current and that a noise figure of 0.3 dB at 4 GHz is achievable with expected technological improvements. HEMT's with a 0.5 μm gate length on the same wafer exhibit a transconductance of 1 S/mm and an intrinsic f_TL_g, product of 50 GHz-μm     

High-speed MQW electroabsorption optical modulators integrated withlow-loss waveguides

An MQW electro-absorption optical modulator integrated with low-loss input and output waveguides is proposed to achieve larger modulation bandwidth with a shorter modulation region, keeping the total device length large enough for easy fabrication and packaging. A fabricated 1-mm-long modulator with a modulation-region length of 50 μm shows a low insertion loss (7 dB), low driving voltage (V_{10 dB}=2.6 V), and large modulation bandwidth f_{3 dB} =40 (GHz) extrapolated from measurements up to 20 GHz. This modulator is suitable for application to ultra-high-speed fiber transmission systems     

Fabrication and Characteristics of 40-Gb/s Traveling-Wave Electroabsorption Modulator-Integrated DFB Laser Modules

We have developed 40-Gb/s traveling-wave electroabsorption-modulator-integrated distributed feedback laser (TW-EML) modules using several advanced technologies. First, we have adopted a selective area growth (SAG) method in the fabrication of the 40-Gb/s EML device to provide active layers for the laser and the electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) simultaneously. The fabricated device shows that the measured 3-dB bandwidth of electrical-to-optical (E/O) response reaches about 45 GHz and the return loss (S₁₁) is kept below -10 dB up to 50 GHz. For the module design of the device, we mainly considered electrical and optical factors. The measured S₁₁ of the fabricated 40 Gb/s TW-EML module is below -10 dB up to about 30 GHz and the 3-dB bandwidth of the E/O response reaches over 35 GHz. We also have developed two types of coplanar waveguide (CPW) for the application of the driver amplifier integrated 40 Gb/s TW-EML module, which is a system-on-package (SoP) composed of an EML device and a driver amplifier device in a module. The measured S₁₁ of the two-step-bent CPW is below -10 dB up to 35 GHz and the measured S₁₁ of the parallel type CPW is below -10 dB up to 39 GHz.     

Fabrication of variable bandwidth filters using arrayed-waveguidegratings

Variable bandwidth filters have been fabricated using silica-based N×N arrayed-waveguide gratings. The centre wavelengths are λ₀=1.55 μm for all channels. The 3 dB bandwidths are 40, 78, 116 and 154 GHz, for the filter with a path length difference ΔL=63 μm. In the filter with ΔL=8.6 μm, the 3 dB bandwidths are 414, 769, 1198 and 1608 GHz. The on-chip losses are 2.1-2.9 dB and sidemode suppression ratios are larger than 27 dB     

0.3 dB minimum noise figure at 2.5 GHz of 0.13 μm Si/Si0.58Ge0.42 n-MODFETs

RF and microwave noise performances of strained Si/Si_0.58 Ge_0.42 n-MODFETs are presented for the first time. The 0.13 μm gate devices have de-embedded f_T=49 GHz, f_max =70 GHz and a record intrinsic g_m=700 mS/mm. A de-embedded minimum noise figure NF_min=0.3 dB with a 41 Ω noise resistance R_n and a 19 dB associated gain G_ass are obtained at 2.5 GHz, while NF_min=2.0 dB with G_ass=10 dB at 18 GHz. The noise parameters measured up to 18 GHz and from 10 to 180 mA/mm with high gain and low power dissipation show the potential of SiGe MODFETs for mobile communications     

3–10-GHz Ultra-Wideband Low-Noise Amplifier Utilizing Miller Effect and Inductive Shunt–Shunt Feedback Technique

In this paper, we demonstrate an SiGe HBT ultra-wideband (UWB) low-noise amplifier (LNA), achieved by a newly proposed methodology, which takes advantage of the Miller effect for UWB input impedance matching and the inductive shunt-shunt feedback technique for bandwidth extension by pole-zero cancellation. The SiGe UWB LNA dissipates 25.8-mW power and achieves S₁₁ below -10 dB for frequencies from 3 to 14 GHz (except for a small range from 10 to 11 GHz, which is below -9 dB), flat S₂₁ of 24.6 plusmn 1.5 dB for frequencies from 3 to 11.6 GHz, noise figure of 2.5 and 5.8 dB at 3 and 10 GHz, respectively, and good phase linearity property (group-delay variation is only plusmn28 ps across the entire band). The measured 1-dB compression point (P₁ dB) and input third-order intermodulation point are -25.5 and -17 dBm, respectively, at 5.4 GHz.     

A Compact, ESD-Protected, SiGe BiCMOS LNA for Ultra-Wideband Applications

Two 3.65-mW, ESD-protected, BiCMOS ultra-wideband low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) for operation up to 10 GHz are presented. These common-base LNAs achieve significant savings in die area over more widely used cascoded common-emitter LNAs because they do not use an LC input matching network. A design with a shunt peaked load achieves a high S₂₁ (17-19 dB) and low noise figure (NF) (4-5 dB) across the band. A resistively loaded design exhibits a lower S₂₁ (15-16 dB) and higher NF (4.5-6 dB), but also utilizes 20% less silicon area. Both LNAs achieve a 1.5 kV ESD protection level and an acceptable S₁₁ (<-10 dB) across the band. Current source noise reduction is critical in common base topologies. Therefore, detailed noise analyses of MOS- and HBT-based current sources are provided     

Adjustable multilayer HTS filters

An adjustable multilayer high-temperature superconductor (HTS) bandpass filter has been fabricated. Taped comb-line filters with multilayer structures were designed, YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (YBCO) thin films deposited on LaAlO₃ were used to construct the packaged multilayer HTS filter. The electrical length of the resonators in the filter was smaller than a quarter-wave length. The frequency responses of the filter were measured at liquid nitrogen temperature 77 K. The insertion loss of the packaged filter was determined to be less than 0.5 dB. By mechanically adjusting the multilayer structure, the center frequencies of the filter changed from 1.78 to 1.92 GHz, and the variations of the bandwidth from 60 to 150 MHz were also obtained     

Voltage-Controlled Ku-Band and X-Band Tunable Combline Filters Using Barium-Strontium-Titanate

Tunable X-band and Ku-band combline bandpass filters using barium-strontium-titanate capacitors fabricated on alumina substrates with through-substrate CuW vias are reported. Under a 0–100 V bias, the X-band filter changes center frequency from 8.75 GHz to 10.96 GHz with 4–8 dB of loss while the Ku-band filter changes center frequency from 11.7 GHz to 14.3 GHz with 6–10 dB of loss. Advances in processing and integration related to the filter fabrication and design are discussed.      

A temperature-dependent nonlinear analysis of GaN/AlGaN HEMTs usingVolterra series

Gain and intermodulation distortion of an AlGaN/GaN device operating at RF have been analyzed using a general Volterra series representation. The circuit model to represent the GaN FET is obtained from a physics-based analysis. Theoretical current-voltage characteristics are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. For a 1 μm×500 μm Al_0.15Ga_0.85N/GaN FET, the calculated output power, power-added efficiency, and gain are 25 dBm, 13%, and 10.1 dB, respectively, at 15-dBm input power, and are in excellent agreement with experimental data. The output referred third-order intercept point (OIP₃) is 39.9 dBm at 350 K and 33 dBm at 650 K. These are in agreement with the simulated results from Cadence, which are 39.34 and 35.7 dBm, respectively. At 3 GHz, third-order intermodulation distortion IM₃ for 10-dBm output power is -72 dB at 300 K and -56 dB at 600 K. At 300 K, IM₃ is -66 dB at 5 GHz and -51 dB at 10 GHz. For the same frequencies, IM ₃ increases to -49.3 and -40 dB, respectively, at 600 K     

High-temperature superconductor resonators and phase shifters

High-T_c resonators and hybrid digital phase shifters have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (YBCO) films used were off-axis sputtered onto 0.5-mm-thick [100] LaAlO₃ substrates and have surface impedances at 10 GHz as low as 20 μΩ at 4.2 K and 300 μΩ at 77 K. The dielectric constant of the LaAlO₃ substrates was measured using straight-line and ring resonator techniques. The superconductor straight-line resonator, which uses silver as its ground plane, has a moderately high Q factor and has an electromagnetic feedthrough level below -65 dB up to 10 GHz. The authors also report the first demonstration of a semiconductor/superconductor microwave digital phase shifter. YBCO film was used to form the circuit, with semiconductor p-i-n diodes serving as switches. A 4-b superconductor phase-shifter design is also presented along with simulation results that indicate maximum total insertion loss (which occurs with all bits forward-biased) at 77 K to be 1.1 dB at 10 GHz     

Quasi-optical millimeter-wave band-pass filters using high-Tc superconductors

Quasioptical millimeter-wave band-pass filters using YBa₂ Cu₃O₇ high-T_c superconducting films were fabricated on MgO and LaAlO₃ substrates. Transmitted power through the filter was investigated in the 75 GHz to 110 GHz frequency range at temperatures ranging from 15 to 300 K. At 15 K the measured center frequency and the bandwidth of the superconducting filter were 92 GHz and 0.85 GHz, respectively. Measurements of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ filters were compared with similar filters fabricated using gold. At 15 K and 92 GHz, an improvement of 75% in the quality factor of the superconducting filter was obtained compared with a similar gold filter     

Direct ion-implanted 0.12 μm GaAs MESFET with ft of121 GHz and fmax of 160 GHz

An 0.12 μm gate length direct ion-implanted GaAs MESFET exhibiting excellent DC and microwave characteristics has been developed. By using a shallow implant schedule to form a highly-doped channel and an AsH₃ overpressure annealing system to optimize the shallow dopant profile, the GaAs MESFET performance was further improved. Peak transconductance of 500 mS/mm was obtained at I_ds =380 mA/mm. A noise figure of 0.9 dB with associated gain of 8.9 dB were achieved at 18 GHz. The current gain cutoff frequency f_max of 160 GHz indicates the suitability of this 0.12 μm T-gate device for millimeter-wave IC applications     

First demonstration of monolithic InP-based HBT amplifier with PNPactive load

An InP-based integrated HBT amplifier with PNP active load was demonstrated for the first time using complementary HBT technology (CRBT). Selective molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) regrowth was employed and a merged processing technology was developed for the monolithic integration of InP-based NPN and PNP HBTs on the same chip. The availability of PNP devices allowed design of high gain amplifiers with low power supply voltage. The measured amplifier with PNP HBT active load achieved a voltage gain of 100 with a power supply (V_CC) of 1.5 V. The corresponding voltage swing was 0.9 V to 0.2 V. The amplifier also demonstrated S₂₁ of 7.8 dB with an associated S₁₁ and S₂₂ of -9.5 dB and -8.1 dB, respectively, at 10 GHz     

Design optimization and characterization of high-gain GaInP/GaAsHBT distributed amplifiers for high-bit-rate telecommunication

The design methodology, processing technology, and characterization of high-gain GaInP/GaAs heterojunction-bipolar-transistor-based distributed amplifiers are described in this paper. Distributed amplifiers with different active cells and number of stages have been compared for high-gain (>12 dB) and high-bandwidth (>25 GHz) performance. Based on the results, a three-stage attenuation-compensated distributed amplifier with a flat gain (S₂₁) of 12.7 dB over a bandwidth of 27.5 GHz was successfully fabricated and tested. Eye-diagram tests at 10 Gb/s show very open eye characteristics with no signal skewing. The amplifier achieves a minimum noise figure of 4 dB at 3 GHz and a sensitivity of -25 dBm for 10-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero 2¹⁵-1 pseudorandom bit sequence with a bit error rate of 10^-9     

Heavily carbon-doped InGaP/GaAs HBT's with buried polycrystallineGaAs under the base electrode

This paper describes a new approach to fabricating InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's) with a high cutoff frequency (f_T), high maximum oscillation frequency (f_max), and low external collector capacitance (C_bc). To attain a high f_T and f_max, a heavy carbon-doping (1.3×10²⁰ cm^-3) technique was used with a thin (30-nm-thick) GaAs base layer, while for low C_bc, low-temperature gas-source molecular-beam epitaxial growth on SiO₂ -patterned substrates was used to bury high-resistance polycrystalline GaAs under the base electrode. An f_T of 120 GHz and an f_max of 230 GHz were achieved for three parallel 0.7×8.5 μm HBT's with an undoped-collector structure, and an f _T of 170 GHz and an f_max of 160 GHz were obtained for a single 0.9×10 μm HBT with a ballistic-collection-transistor structure. Compared to HBT's without buried poly-GaAs, the maximum stable gain was improved by 1.2 dB in the 0.7×8.5 μm HBT and by 2.3 dB in the 0.9×10 μm HBT due to the reduction in C_bc. These results show the high potential of the proposed HBT's for high-speed digital and broadband-amplifier applications     

A novel waveguide-to-microstrip transition for millimeter-wavemodule applications

A novel waveguide-to-microstrip transition is developed using a new design methodology based on iris coupling. Key features of the design are a single-layer substrate, new matching topology, and new cavity enclosure. The transition lends itself to a low-cost implementation, while maintaining the enclosure's hermetic integrity. An extensive tolerance study shows that the present design is robust and very stable with respect to manufacturing and assembly variations. Careful consideration has been given to the mechanical aspects of the transition's implementation in order to achieve seamless integration into the overall package manufacturing and assembly process without sacrificing electrical performance. Proof of concept was achieved by implementing a Q-band (f₀=44.5 GHz) design on alumina, a W-band (f₀=94 GHz) design on z-cut quartz, and a W-band design on fused silica. All exhibited better than 22 dB return loss at their center frequencies with less than 0.3 dB insertion loss, and at minimum a 10% 15 dB return-loss bandwidth     

Miniature Dual-Band Filter Using Quarter Wavelength Stepped Impedance Resonators

A miniature dual-band filter using quarter wavelength (lambda_g/4) stepped impedance resonators (SIRs) is proposed. Short and open SIRs are coupled together to realize lower and upper passbands, respectively. Miniaturization is achieved due to the use of lambda_g/4 resonators and a combline coupling structure. Two transmission zeros in a mid-stopband and one in each lower and upper stopbands are achieved. In order to see the capability of this structure to achieve different second passband frequencies, two dual band filters at frequencies of 2.45/5.25 GHz and 2.45/5.75 GHz are realized. Measured insertion losses are 1.3 dB and 2.3 dB and return losses are better than 17 dB and 18 dB at the first and second passband frequencies, respectively, with a mid-stopband attenuation better than 30 dB. The size of the filter is as compact as 19.0 times 5.2 mm² on a RO 4003C (epsiv_r = 3.38, h = 0.81 mm) substrate.