60-GHz MMIC image-rejection downconverter using InGaP/InGaAs HEMT

Abstract

We have designed, fabricated, and evaluated an InGaP/InGaAs/GaAs HEMT 60-GHz monolithic image-rejection downconverter. The downconverter consists of a four-stage low-noise amplifier and a single-balanced image-rejection active-drain mixer. The HEMTs used in the downconverter have gates of 0.1 /spl mu/m long and 100 /spl mu/m wide. The downconverter has a maximum conversion gain of 22.9 dB at 61 GHz and a minimum noise figure of 3.16 dB at 58.5 GHz with 5 dBm LO power input and 140 MHz IF output. These characteristics are, to our knowledge, the best report of an MMIC downconverter using an image-rejection active-drain mixer in this frequency range. This is a significant improvement from our previous report results in terms of the noise figure and conversion gain.