Low-Cost Integrated Microwave Radiometer Front-End for Industrial Applications

Author

Borgarino, Mattia ; Polemi, Alessia ; Mazzanti, Andrea

Author_Institution

Dept. of Inf. Eng., Univ. of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

Volume

57

Issue

12

fYear

2009

Firstpage

3011

Lastpage

3018

Abstract

The present paper experimentally investigates the potentialities of low-cost technologies (0.35-?? m SiGe BiCMOS technology for the electronics and microstrip technology for the antenna) for the fabrication of a radiometer front-end working in the X-band. The design and the characterization of the electronics receiver and of the antenna are described. In particular, after analog continuous-wave characterizations of electronics and antenna, a benchmark experiment is reported, where electronics and antenna are tested together under conditions close to that of a radiometer test, in order to evaluate the capabilities of the obtained front-end prototype in a complete radiometer.

Keywords

BiCMOS integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; microstrip antennas; microwave integrated circuits; radiometers; radiometry; BiCMOS technology; X-band; analog continuous-wave characterizations; antenna; benchmark experiment; electronic receiver; industrial applications; low-cost integrated microwave radiometer front-end; microstrip technology; radiometer test; size 0.35 mum; Fire detection; RF integrated circuit (RFIC); SiGe; microwave radiometer; printed array;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMTT.2009.2034209

Filename

5315480