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W-band active loads and switching front-end MMICs for radiometer calibration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2013

Ernst Weissbrodt ,
Michael Schlechtweg ,
Oliver Ambacher  and
Ingmar Kallfass
Ernst Weissbrodt*
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid-State Physics, High Frequency Devices and Circuits, Freiburg, Germany
Michael Schlechtweg
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid-State Physics, High Frequency Devices and Circuits, Freiburg, Germany
Oliver Ambacher
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid-State Physics, High Frequency Devices and Circuits, Freiburg, Germany
Ingmar Kallfass
Affiliation:
University of Stuttgart, Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
*
Corresponding author: E. Weissbrodt Email: Ernst.Weissbrodt@iaf.fraunhofer.de
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Abstract

A millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuit consisting of a W-band (75–100 GHz) single-pole-five-throw (SP5T) switch and multiple internal active and passive loads for radiometer calibration was designed and manufactured in a low noise 50 nm GaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistor technology. This highly compact and integrated front-end device for radiometer systems is capable of ultra fast switching between two identical input ports (e.g. for polarimetric applications) and three internal calibration references. It allows an accurate multi-load calibration with noise temperatures between 220 and 1750 K at the output of the device. Compared to conventional calibration methods this marks a substantial advantage in terms of size, mass, power consumption, complexity, and repetition rate.

Keywords

Circuit design and applicationsMicrowave measurements
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 5 , Special Issue 3: European Microwave Week 2012 , June 2013 , pp. 293 - 299
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2013 

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