A 140 GHz Heterodyne Receiver Chipset for Passive Millimeter Wave Imaging Applications

Abstract
A heterodyne receiver chipset for 140 GHz passive millimeter wave imaging applications is presented in this paper. The chipset consists of two different millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits (MIMICs): a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) working in the 35 GHz frequency range and a receiver chip hosting a low noise amplifier, a down-conversion mixer, a frequency multiplier and a local oscillator buffer amplifier together with a local oscillator distribution network. Both chips presented are realized using latest 100 nm gatelength metamorphic InAlAs / InGaAs HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) technology on 50 mum thick and 4 inch diameter GaAs substrates. The chips are utilizing grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) technology. Within the frequency band of operation from 120 to 145 GHz the receiver is showing a noise figure of ~ 5 dB and a conversion gain between -1 and 2 dB. The voltage controlled oscillator can be tuned from 31 to 37 GHz with associated output power levels from -2 to +2 dISin. All building blocks are explained in detail and measured results are presented. Finally the overall receiver performance is given.

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