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An X‐to‐Ka band MMIC up‐converter in GaAs pHEMT technology for Ka‐band broadband satellite communications
Author(s) -
Florian C.,
Resca D.,
Biondi A.,
Scappaviva F.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
microwave and optical technology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1098-2760
pISSN - 0895-2477
DOI - 10.1002/mop.28666
Subject(s) - ka band , monolithic microwave integrated circuit , amplifier , electrical engineering , high electron mobility transistor , w band , microwave , v band , engineering , optoelectronics , materials science , cmos , transistor , telecommunications , voltage
In this article, an X‐band to Ka‐band up‐converter circuit designed for the transmitting chain of Satcom‐on‐the‐move terminals is presented. The circuit is implemented using a 0.25 µm GaAs pHEMT microwave monolithic integrated circuit commercial process. It operates at fixed LO frequency of 22 GHz, IF input frequency within the band (8–9) GHz and corresponding RF output frequency within (30–31) GHz band. The up‐converter circuit is composed of a resistive FET mixer, a K‐band LO buffer amplifier, and a Ka‐band medium power amplifier at the RF output. The bias operating condition of the entire multifunction chip is Vdd = 2.8 V, Idq = 322 mA, for a power consumption of 900 mW, when the Ka‐band high power amplifier (HPA) operates in linear conditions. The chip dimensions are 3.4 × 2.8 mm 2 . The up‐converter provides more than 12 dB conversion gain over the full bandwidth, when operated with LO input power of 0 dBm and IF fixed input power of −5 dBm. It also achieves 25 dBc of LO isolation at the RF output port. The high 1 dB compression point P1dB > 19 dBm, along with an OTOI in excess of 29 dBm, make the circuit suitable to directly drive Ka‐band high power amplifiers in very linear operating conditions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2649–2656, 2014