Monolithic Implementation and Performance Comparison of three Single Balanced Architectures for D-Band HEMT Mixers

Three mixers with different single balanced architectures are compared to tackle the implementation of fully monolithic integrated D-band receivers and transmitters with high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) technologies. From a characterization in down-converter configuration with focus on conversion gain, spurious suppression, and intermodulation distortion, crucial design aspects on circuit level are identified and individual prospects are emphasized. For the first time such a comparison is performed at D-Band frequencies, employing a vector network analyzer (VNA)-based on-wafer measurement setup to obtain match and frequency response corrected results.