Embedded diodes for microwave and millimeter wave circuits

This paper presents a novel embedded active fabrication process for high frequency circuit applications. Multiple active devices with high placement accuracy can be embedded on a common substrate at low processing temperature, and the process is compatible with large area fabrication. For the design of a millimeter and terahertz (THz) imaging array and other circuits, multiple high cutoff-frequency GaAs Schottky diodes are embedded on a polymer substrate. DC and microwave characterizations are carried out to test the fabrication repeatability, reliability and the performance of high frequency circuits. Circuits measured in this work include rectifier, multiplier and mixer. The measurement results show that the process is reliable and can be readily utilized in the manufacture of circuits operating at millimeter wave and well into the Terahertz frequency regime.