A WR4 Amplifier Module Chain With an 87 K Noise Temperature at 228 GHz

Author

Varonen, Mikko ; Samoska, Lorene ; Fung, Andy ; Padmanabhan, Sharmila ; Kangaslahti, Pekka ; Lai, Richard ; Sarkozy, Stephen ; Soria, Mary ; Owen, Heather ; Reck, Theodore ; Chattopadhyay, Goutam ; Larkoski, Patricia V. ; Gaier, Todd

Author_Institution

Dept. of Micro & Nanosci., Aalto Univ., Espoo, Finland

Volume

25

Issue

1

fYear

2015

fDate

Jan. 2015

Firstpage

58

Lastpage

60

Abstract

In this letter we report an ultra-low-noise amplifier module chain in the WR4 frequency range. The amplifier chips were fabricated in a 35 nm InP HEMT technology and packaged in waveguide housings utilizing quartz E-plane waveguide probes. When cryogenically cooled to 22 K and measured through a mylar vacuum window, the amplifier module chain achieves a receiver noise temperature of 87 K at 228 GHz and less than a 100 K noise temperature from 217 to 236 GHz. The LNA modules have 21-31 dB gain and the power dissipation is 12.4-15.8 mW. To the best of authors´ knowledge, these are the lowest LNA noise temperatures at these frequencies reported to date.

Keywords

high electron mobility transistors; indium compounds; low noise amplifiers; millimetre wave amplifiers; HEMT technology; InP; LNA noise temperatures; WR4 frequency range; frequency 217 GHz to 236 GHz; gain 21 dB to 31 dB; mylar vacuum window; power 12.4 mW to 15.8 mW; quartz E-plane waveguide probes; size 35 nm; temperature 87 K; ultra-low-noise amplifier module chain; waveguide housings; Cryogenics; HEMTs; Indium phosphide; MMICs; Noise; Noise measurement; Cryogenic; InP HEMT; MMIC; low-noise amplifiers (LNAs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2014.2369963

Filename

6964816