Bipolar Microwave RMS Power Detectors

Abstract

A peak/RMS power detector with <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$geq hbox 40~dB$</tex> dynamic range is presented. The simulated frequency response is flat to 60GHz and the measured response is flat to 20 GHz. Analysis shows that the Meyer detector, originally developed as a peak detector, can be used for RMS detection with an error less than 0.5dB over an approximately 20 dB range, comparable to the popular RF/microwave diode detector. The range for RMS detection is extended by cascading several stages of attenuators and detectors, leading to a circuit suitable for applications such as embedded RFIC test. The power detector is only 700 <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$,times,$</tex> 550 <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$muhbox m ^2$</tex> including all AC and DC bond pads.