High-performance 450-GHz GaAs-based heterostructure barrier varactor tripler

Abstract

In this letter, we report on the record performance of GaAs-based heterostructure barrier varactors (HBVs) in tripler circuits. Both fabrication technique of planar Al 0 7 Ga 0 3 As/GaAs heterostructure barrier varactors (HBVs) and measurements of a corresponding tripler circuit are presented. Planar transmission lines on a thin dielectric membrane and flip-chip technique without air bridges provide reduced parasitic losses and, hence, higher tripler efficiency. Frequency tripler measurements have shown more than 1 mW at 450 GHz.Index Terms-Frequency tripler, heterostructure barrier varactor (HBV), THz-technology.

Status and Prospects of High-Power Heterostructure Barrier Varactor Frequency Multipliers

“…However, removing the possibility of biasing and monitoring the device makes tuning during operation impossible. Triplers have been demonstrated at frequencies of up to 450 GHz [67]. The majority of circuits are designed for high-power applications requiring limited bandwidth [55] ; however, circuits with a relative bandwidth of 15%-20% have also been demonstrated [68].…”

“…The majority of circuits are designed for high-power applications requiring limited bandwidth [55] ; however, circuits with a relative bandwidth of 15%-20% have also been demonstrated [68]. A number of circuits operating in the 100-120-GHz frequency band have demonstrated the high-power properties of HBV circuits with an output power of 240 mW [67] from a single HBV device. Similarly, an output power of 30 mW has been achieved at 282 GHz [20], also using a single device.…”

Where optics meets electronics: recent progress in decreasing the terahertz gap

“…1990), has also led to considerable success: the symmetric shape of the capacitance-voltage characteristic in the HBV makes it ideally suited for operation in tripler circuits, where high efficiencies (Mélique et al . 1999) and high-frequency operation (Saglam et al . 2003) have been reported.…”

S Parameter Measurements of Superlattice Heterostructure Barrier Junctions towards THz Varactors

“…When compared with the Schottky diodes, one of the main advantages of the heterostructure varactors is the possibility of stacking several barriers by epitaxy for a high power performance [1]. An undoped high band gap material (barrier) is sandwiched between two moderately n-doped, low band gap materials.…”