Title :
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
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;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMTT.2009.2034209
