MMICs Serve MM-Wave Systems

Nov. 17, 2009
Available in chip and QFN-packaged forms, these MMIC devices provide many of the fundamental functions needed to assemble compact commercial or military microwave and millimeter-wave radios.

Microwave and millimeter- wave radios require a number of functions, including amplifiers, filters, and attenuators. To fuel those radio designs, Endwave Corp. has developed a line of monolithic-microwave-integrated- circuit (MMIC) components covering 7 to 38 GHz as well as 71 to 86 GHz. Based on the firm's extensive design library, these MMIC components are available for a variety of functions, including amplifiers, voltagecontrolled oscillators (VCOs), fixed and variable attenuators, frequency upconverters/downconverters, and bandpass filters. They can be supplied as bare die or in QFN packages.

An example of the MMIC product lines is the model EWP4102ZZ amplifier, which offers 18-dB typical gain from 31 to 41 GHz with +18 dBm typical output power at 1-dB compression from 37 to 40 GHz. As with many of the MMICs, it features integrated electrostatic-discharge (ESD) gate protection. The compact amplifier measures 2.0 x 1.5 x 0.1 mm in die form and typically draws 125 mA current from a +3.75-VDC supply. The amplifier generates +29 dBm typical output power at 3-dB compression.

Models EWV0801YF and EWV1503YF are InGaP/GaAs dualoutput VCOs that provide fundamentalfrequency and divided-by-two output frequencies by merit of integrated prescalers. The former covers a fundamental- frequency range of 7.30 to 8.30 GHz and divided range of 3.65 to 4.15 GHz with at least +9 dBm for fundamental outputs and +5 dBm for divided outputs. The phase noise is typically -112 dBc/kHz offset 100 kHz from the carrier. The model EWV1503YF VCO delivers fundamental frequencies from 14.4 to 15.5 GHz with a divided range of 7.20 to 7.75 GHz, with minimum output-power levels of +6 and +3 dBm, respectively. The phase noise is typically -108 dBc/Hz offset 100 kHz from the carrier.

Models EWF7601ZZ and EWF8601ZZ are bandpass filters for use from 71 to 76 GHz and 81 to 86 GHz, respectively. Both feature passband insertion loss of typically 4 dB in a die measuring just 1.41 x 4.51 x 0.1 mm. Model EWF7601ZZ has more than 16 dB in-band return loss with 20 dB rejection at 67.8 and 78.5 GHz. It provides 40-dB rejection at 65.0 and 79.8 GHz. Model EWF8601ZZ has in-band return loss of greater than 12 dB with 20 dB rejection at 76.2 and 89.2 GHz.

Model EWM4401ZZ is a GaAs MMIC frequency upconverter/downconverter with intermediate-frequency (IF) range of DC to 4.5 GHz and RF/ local-oscillator (LO) range of 34 to 44 GHz. It provides frequency upconversion and downconversion with 11 dB typical conversion loss, 11-dB typical LO-to-RF isolation, and 30-dB typical LO-to-IF isolation. The unit has an input third-order intercept point of typically +27 dBm, with typically 20-dB image rejection. The amplitude balance is typically 0.8 dB while the phase balance is typically 8 deg.

Model EWX4201ZZ is an X2 active frequency multiplier MMIC that transforms inputs from 16 to 21 GHz to outputs from 32 to 42 GHz. For input power of +5 dBm, it delivers an output level of +8 dBm. In addition to these devices, the firm offers a wide array of MMIC VCOs, variable-gain amplifiers, fixed and variable attenuations, and passive components such as couplers. Endwave Corp., 130 Baytech Dr., San Jose, CA 95134; (877) END-WAVE, Internet: www.endwave.com.

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