MMIC-based components for MM-wave instrumentation

In this letter, we present results of fully integrated 90-130 GHz receiver based on 100 nm mHEMT technology. The receiver contains a low noise amplifier (LNA), mixer and LO multiplier chain integrated into a single monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The circuit is packaged into a waveguide block, characterized and compared to on-wafer measurements. Waveguide to microstrip transitions are used to interface the MMIC to the waveguide. A breakout LNA circuit is also packaged, and its performance is compared to the receiver. The LNA noise was characterized on a wafer and after packaging. The packaged module is measured at both room and cryogenic temperatures, NF of 3.7 dB is measured at 300 K and 0.9 dB at 20 K.