A grid amplifier

Kim, M.; Rosenberg, J.J.; Smith, R.P.; Weikle, Robert M.; Hacker, J.B.; DeLisio, M.P.; Rutledge, D.B.

doi:10.1109/75.93899

Cited by 124 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…Output power is linear with input power, indicating that the grid operates as an amplifier rather than as an injection-locked oscillator. Gain saturation can be observed at low de bias and high input rf levels.This amplifier represents a significant advance over the previously reported grid amplifier [5] beyond its higher operating frequency, larger gain, and wider bandwidth. Where the previous grid required both front and backside wiring on the substrate (which would be cumbersome in a monolithic implementation), this amplifier utilizes frontside wiring only.…”

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confidence: 88%

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A 10-GHz quasi-optical grid amplifier using integrated HBT differential pairs

Kim

Sovero²,

Ho³

et al. 1992

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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We report the fabrication and testing of a 10 GHz grid amplifier utilizing sixteen GaAs chips each containing an HBT differential pair plus integral bias/feedback resistors. The overall amplifier consists of a 4x4 array of unit cells on an RT Duroid™ board having a relative pennittivity of 2.2. Each unit cell consists of an emitter-coupled differential pair at the center, an input antenna which extends horizontally in both directions from the two base leads, an output antenna which extends vertically in both directions from the two collector leads, and high inductance bias lines. In operation, the active grid array is placed between a pair of crossed polarizers. The horizontally polarized input wave passes through the input polarizer and couples to the input leads. An amplified current then flows on the vertical leads, which radiate a vertically polarized amplified signal through the output polarizer. The polarizers serve dual functions, providing both input-output isolation as well as independent impedance matching for the input and output ports. The grid thus functions essentially as a free-space beam amplifier. Calculations indicate that output powers of several watts per square centimeter of grid area should be attainable with optimized structures.Quasi-optical grid devices including oscillators, multipliers, mixers, and beam steerers have already been demonstrated [1,2,3,4]. Motivation for studying quasi-optical devices is two-fold: free-space power combining is more efficient at high frequencies than power combining in guided wave structures, and transmitting and receiving systems based on monolithic implementations of quasi-optical elements have the potential for being smaller, lighter, and substantially less costly than conventional phased-array systems.The AlGaAs/GaAs HBT material was grown by MBE. collector-base feedback resistors and a 2500 emitter bias resistor which also serves to supress common mode gain.The amplifier exhibits a peak gain of 12dB at 9.9 GHz, with a 3dB bandwidth which extends from 9.55 GHz to 10.3 GHz. The peak gain and bandwidth are sensitive to polarizer position, indicating that the polarizers provide good matching to free space (as a reference point, the transistors have 18dB unilateral gain at 10 GHz). Output power is linear with input power, indicating that the grid operates as an amplifier rather than as an injection-locked oscillator. Gain saturation can be observed at low de bias and high input rf levels.This amplifier represents a significant advance over the previously reported grid amplifier [5] beyond its higher operating frequency, larger gain, and wider bandwidth. Where the previous grid required both front and backside wiring on the substrate (which would be cumbersome in a monolithic implementation), this amplifier utilizes frontside wiring only. Where the previous amplifier utilized packaged discrete MESFETs, in this amplifier the contents of each unit cell are monolithically integrated with the exception of the metal lines which make up the antenna array. This am...

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confidence: 88%

“…This amplifier represents a significant advance over the previously reported grid amplifier [5] beyond its higher operating frequency, larger gain, and wider bandwidth. Where the previous grid required both front and backside wiring on the substrate (which would be cumbersome in a monolithic implementation), this amplifier utilizes frontside wiring only.…”

mentioning

confidence: 88%

A 10-GHz quasi-optical grid amplifier using integrated HBT differential pairs

Kim

Sovero²,

Ho³

et al. 1992

IEEE Trans. Electron Devices

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“…Many research projects have been carried out in the field of QO power combining with a focus on amplifiers [2][3][4][5] and oscillators [6][7][8]. QO amplifiers, in particular, can be of two different types.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…QO amplifiers, in particular, can be of two different types. A first type is represented by QO-grid amplifiers, which were first reported by Kim et al [2], who demonstrated a 5×5 prototype operating at 3.3 GHz and based on packaged MESFETs. In this configuration, differentially fed active devices are embedded into a regular grid composed of horizontal and vertical leads.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simplified Design Flow of Quasi-Optical Slot Amplifiers

Russo

Boccia²,

Amendola³

et al. 2009

PIER

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Abstract-Quasi-optical (QO) techniques have been extensively studied in recent years because of the promise they hold for medium and high power generation at millimeter-and sub-millimeterwave frequencies, demonstrating higher efficiency than conventional approaches. In this work a step-by-step flow process is proposed for the design of a slot-based QO amplifier. The proposed design procedure is based on full-wave analysis of the individual building blocks, which are then cascaded to represent the whole system. An experimental assessment is proposed based on the design and on experimental analysis of the behavior of a C-band QO unit cell.

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“…The use of freespace networks for the distribution of the input signal and for the recombination of the amplified contributions permits a strong reduction in terms of losses in comparison to conventional folded combiners. The main reason for this is that the power combining process takes place in the surrounding air.The attention of researchers in the field of QO combiners has been particularly focused on tile-type grid amplifiers [8][9][10], amplifier arrays [11][12][13][14] and oscillators [15,16]. Referring to the tile-type family, represented by grid amplifiers and amplifier arrays (Figure 1(a)), the operating principle is based on the amplification of a free-space wave coming from an external source.…”

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confidence: 99%

Compact Hybrid Coaxial Architecture for 3 GHZ-10 GHZ Uwb Quasi-Optical Power Combiners

Russo¹,

Boccia²,

Amendola³

et al. 2012

PIER

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Abstract-Tray-type quasi-optical (QO) power combiners are able to combine the high-and medium-output power of QO systems with the well-known advantages of pulsed ultra-wideband (UWB) systems. In this work, an alternative low-profile tray-type passive structure for 3 GHz-10 GHz power combining is proposed. The purpose of the proposed solution is to reduce the physical size with respect to other existing architectures by using hybrid coaxial lines. In spite of the reduced size, the structure maintains ultra-wideband operation and high combining efficiency, as proved through measurements. Therefore, the proposed structure is suitable for integration with monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers for medium-and high-power generation, depending on the type of MMICs which are integrated into the passive combiner. Numerical analyses of the designed power combiner integrated with some MMIC amplifiers reveal its benefits in terms of increased output power and wider dynamic range compared to isolated MMICs. INTRODUCTIONA rapid diffusion of ultra-wideband (UWB) technologies into the military and civil markets has been observed in recent years. The main reasons can be attributed to the numerous advantages that UWB offers in comparison to narrowband systems. The power Nevertheless, UWB frontends also need sources generating power levels that are able to penetrate high-absorption materials. Single solid-state amplifiers are often unable to provide the power level needed in such applications. Quasi-optical (QO) or spatial power combining systems [7] have shown, in the last two decades, their promising capabilities to produce medium-and high-output power levels for frequencies spanning from the microwave to millimeter-wave ranges. The key concept of a QO combiner is the use of a high-efficient combining network containing several active sources. A QO power combiner consists of a number of solid-state devices, each of them equipped with a transmitting and a receiving antenna. The use of freespace networks for the distribution of the input signal and for the recombination of the amplified contributions permits a strong reduction in terms of losses in comparison to conventional folded combiners. The main reason for this is that the power combining process takes place in the surrounding air.The attention of researchers in the field of QO combiners has been particularly focused on tile-type grid amplifiers [8][9][10], amplifier arrays [11][12][13][14] and oscillators [15,16]. Referring to the tile-type family, represented by grid amplifiers and amplifier arrays (Figure 1(a)), the operating principle is based on the amplification of a free-space wave coming from an external source. A y-polarized incident wave excites RF currents on the receiving antennas of the array/grid, each of which is connected to an amplifier. The amplified versions of those currents are then radiated to the output with 90 • -rotated polarization and the single phase-coherent contributions sum up in the free-space to form a high-power output si...

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A grid amplifier

Cited by 124 publications

References 1 publication

A 10-GHz quasi-optical grid amplifier using integrated HBT differential pairs

A 10-GHz quasi-optical grid amplifier using integrated HBT differential pairs

Simplified Design Flow of Quasi-Optical Slot Amplifiers

Compact Hybrid Coaxial Architecture for 3 GHZ-10 GHZ Uwb Quasi-Optical Power Combiners

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