Future Opportunities and Challenges for mm-Wave Amplifier MMICs

摘要

This article has discussed the future opportunities and challenges for the realisation of MMIC mm-wave amplifiers. It has primarily considered MMICs for point-to-point links, which is considered the largest potential market for this technology. MMIC amplifiers, at 40.5 to 43.5 GHz and E-band, represent a very significant opportunity. The development of MMICs for these bands, using commercially available foundry processes, has been discussed and practical design examples have been presented. The successful development of MMICs operating at these very high frequencies is a complex and time consuming task. The range of suitable liam Devlin is the Director ofRF Integration with Plextek. He joined the company in 1996 to develop the RF and microwave IC design capability and since then has led the design and development of over 50 custom ICs on a range of GaAs and Si processes at frequencies up to 90 GHz. Andy Dearn joined Plextek in 1997, and is currently a Senior Technology Consultant within the RF Integration group. His primary focus is on the design of GaAs MMICs. He also has experience in designing discrete-based RF and microwave components and subsystems for a range of technologies, including DAB radio, GSM and military hardware. Graham Pearson joined Plextek in 1999, and is currently a Senior Technology Consultant within the RF Integration group. His current role includes the detailed design and development of mm-wave and microwave components and modules in a range of technologies including GaAs MMIC. Tony Richards joined Plextek in 1999, and is currently a Senior Technology Consultant within the RF Integration group. He has helped to design several single chip radio ICs for multinational silicon vendors such as National Semiconductors. He has also worked on the development of SMT-based RF products and X-band microwave PAs, and is currently designing GaAs MMICs at microwave and mm-wave frequencies.