DC to 40 GHz MMIC power sensor

Abstract

A GaAs MMIC (monolithic microwave IC) power sensor is presented that has excellent input return loss (>20 dB from DC to 40 GHz), and square law response (<+or-1% deviation over a 55 dB range). This device was created to provide accurate-on-wafer power measurement capability without the insertion-loss and mismatch uncertainty associated with microwave probes. A broadband built-in test equipment (BITE) sensor application is also discussed. The BITE in-line circuit has less than 2.2 dB insertion loss from DC to 25 GHz. While not fast enough to serve as a video detector, the BITE circuit consumes very little GaAs area, and will not infect the RF system with test switching transients or harmonics of the input signal.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>