A transmitter system-in-package at 300 GHz with an off-chip antenna and GaAs-based MMICs

This paper presents a novel transmitter system for applications operating in the frequency region around 300 GHz. A relatively simple packaging approach is taken, allowing for a variety of integrated or embedded applications. This paper presents a multilayered stacked patch antenna on quartz with a dielectric lens, functioning in tandem with a GaAs-based multiplier chain. When operating, an input signal between 7.8 and 8.6 GHz is multiplied 36 times to a frequency range between 280 and 310 GHz, via two in-house fabricated GaAs-based monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). The antenna is fabricated on quartz wafers via an in-house process. Both, the MMICs and the antenna, are placed on a printed circuit board. A high-density polyethylene lens encloses the system-in-package (SiP), with a footprint of 1 cm2. The SiP has a center frequency of 300 GHz and an absolute pattern bandwidth of 21 GHz. The measured antenna gain along the broadside is 23 dBi, which corresponds to an equivalent isotropic radiated power of 20 dBm. This is achieved with 0.3 W power consumption. The design, simulation, and the analysis are performed via an electromagnetic simulation and modeling tool (Computer Simulation Technology Microwave Studio). Both, separate measurement data for the individual parts of the SiP and complete system experimental characterization are included in this paper.