Global FDTD simulation technique for analysis and design of millimetre-wave receivers

A global FDTD simulation technique is applied to a millimetre-wave receiver at 90 GHz. The RF signal and LO power are fed quasi-optically and received by the antenna functioning as a mixer. The method takes into account the close proximity among the antenna and the passive and active devices, which conventional mixer circuit analysis does not. The mixer performance, i.e. the conversion loss, can be calculated directly from a simple DFT of the voltages and currents. The frequency response of the mixer provides vital information to optimise the performance of the millimetre-wave receiver.