Integrated Amplifier Circuits for 60 GHz Broadband Telecommunication

Abstract

Wide frequency bandwidth has been internationally allocated for unlicensed operation around the oxygen absorption frequency at 60 GHz. A power amplifier and a low noise amplifier are presented as building blocks for a T/R-unit at this frequency. The fabrication technology was a commercially available 0.15 µm gallium arsenide (GaAs) process featuring pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (PHEMT). Using on-wafer tests, we measured a gain of 13.4 dB and a +17 dBm output compression point for the power amplifier at 60 GHz centre frequency when the MMIC was biased to 3 volts V dd . At the same frequency, the low noise amplifier exhibited 24 dB of gain with a 3.5 dB noise figure. The AM/AM and AM/PM characteristics of the power amplifier chip were obtained from the large-signal S-parameter measurement data. Furthermore, the power amplifier was assembled in a split block package, which had a WR-15 waveguide interface in input and output. The measured results show a 12.5 dB small-signal gain and better than 8 dB return losses in input and output for the packaged power amplifier.

Backhauling and access means through a 60 GHz developed prototype

“…This work presents several cases of use of this technology and in particular it is focused in outdoor and indoor environments for backhauling high bandwidth traffic either from 4G technologies or for offering extension means to high bit rate G-eth fixed networks or for backhauling traffic in rural areas and gives theoretical simulation graphs of the capacity that these networks can support. However, there are several limitations that deteriorate the performance of 60 GHz systems [1]- [4]. A 20-40 dB power penalty for 60 GHz versus unlicensed communication below 6 GHz is evident from a simple calculation using the free-space path loss formula [1].…”

“…Multipath effects at 60 GHz make non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communications very difficult. Furthermore, increased phase noise, limited amplifier gain, and the need for transmission line modeling of circuit components [2]- [4] are inherited challenges from millimeter-wave transceivers. These difficulties must be overcome as the 60 GHz band is of significant interest for short range wireless communications.…”