Low-noise amplifiers
Low noise amplifiers - millimeter wave circuits and waveguide microwave termination
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Low noise amplifiers - millimeter wave circuits and waveguide microwave termination
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Monolithic (MMIC) and discrete transistor (MIC) low noise amplifiers are compared on the basis of performance, cost, and reliability. The need for cryogenic LNA's for future large microwave arrays for radio astronomy is briefly discussed and data is presented on a prototype LNA for the 1 to 10 GZH range along with a very wideband LNA for the 1 to 60 GHz range.
This paper presents the results of two 160-190 GHz monolithic low noise amplifiers (LNAs) fabricated with 0.07 meu pseudomorphic (PM) InAIAs/InGaAs/InP HEMT technology using a reactive ion etch (RIE) via hole process.
Low noise amplifier design with field effect transistors, random noise characteristics, and noise measurements on commercial devices
Inexpensive Peltier-effect cooling module made of few commercially available parts used to reduce thermal noise in microwave amplifier. Retrofitted to almost any microwave low-noise amplifier or receiver preamplifier used in communication, telemetry, or radar. Includes copper or aluminum cold plate held tightly against unit to be cooled by strap-type worm-gear clamps.
This paper presents the results of two 160-190 GHz monolithic low noise amplifiers (LNAs) fabricated with 0.07-microns pseudomorphic (PM) InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMT technology using a reactive ion etch (RIE) via hole process. A peak small signal gain of 9 dB was measured at 188 GHz for the first LNA with a 3-dB bandwidth from 164 to 192 GHz while the second LNA has achieved over 6-dB gain from 142 to 180 GHz. The same design (second LNA) was also fabricated with 0.08-micron gate and a wet etch process, showing a small signal gain of 6 dB with noise figure 6 dB. All the measurement results were obtained via on-wafer probing. The LNA noise measurement at 170 GHz is also the first attempt at this frequency.
This paper describes a 2.5 K cooler intended for microwave Maser low noise amplifier cooling applications.
This paper presents the design,fabrication and performance of a three-stage 155-GHz monolithic low noise amplifier (LNA) using 0.1 mue pseudomorphic (PM) InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMT technology.
A superconducting 7.3 GHz two-pole microstrip bandpass filter and a GaAs low noise amplifier (LNA) were combined into an active circuit and characterized at liquid nitrogen temperatures. This superconducting/semiconducting circuit's performance was compared to a gold filter/GaAs LNA hybrid circuit. The superconducting filter/GaAs LNA hybrid circuit showed higher gain and lower noise figure than its gold counterpart.
A superconducting 7.3 GHz two-pole microstrip bandpass filter and a GaAs low noise amplifier (LNA) were combined into a hybrid circuit and characterized at liquid nitrogen temperatures. This superconducting/seismology circuit's performance was compared to a gold filter/GaAs LNA hybrid circuit. The superconducting filter/GaAs LNA hybrid circuit showed higher gain and lower noise figure than its gold counterpart.
We report the packaging and first measurement of Indium Phosphide (InP) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) low noise amplifiers (LNAs) operating at cryogenic temperatures.
Error analysis of input noise temperature measurements of low noise amplifiers
This paper presents the designs and measurement results of a three-stage and a four-stage W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) including a three-stage and a four-stage low noise amplifiers.
Quarter-micron-gate-length high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) have exhibited state-of-the-art low-noise performance at millimeter-wave frequencies, with minimum noise figures of 1.2 dB at 32 GHz and 1.8 dB at 60 GHz. At Ka-band, two-stage and three-stage HEMT low noise amplifiers have demonstrated noise figures of 1.7 and 1.9 dB, respectively, with associated gains of 17.0 and 24.0 dB at 32 GHz. At V-band, two stage and three-stage HEMT amplifiers yielded noise figures of 3.2 and 3.6 dB, respectively, with associated gains of 12.7 and 20.0 dB at 60 GHz. The 1-dB-gain compression point of all the amplifiers is greater than +6 dBm. The results clearly show the potential of short-gate-length HEMTs for high-performance millimeter-wave receiver applications.
We currently achieve 3.4 dB noise figure at 183GHz and 2.1 dB noise figure at 90 GHz with our MMIC low noise amplifiers (LNAs) in room temperature. These amplifiers and the receivers we have built using them made it possible to conduct highly accurate airborne measurement campaigns from the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, develop millimeter wave internally calibrated radiometers for altimeter radar path delay correction, and build prototypes of large arrays of millimeter receivers for a geostationary interferometric sounder. We use the developed millimeter wave receivers to measure temperature and humidity profiles in the atmosphere and in hurricanes as well as to characterize the path delay error in ocean topography altimetry.
We report S-parameter and noise measurements for three different Indium Phosphide 35-nanometer-gate-length High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) designs operating in the frequency range centered on 140 gigahertz. When packaged in a Waveguide Rectangular-6.1 waveguide housing, the LNAs have an average measured noise figure of 3.0 decibels - 3.6 decibels over the 122-170 gigahertz band. One LNA was cooled to 20 degrees Kelvin and a record low noise temperature of 46 Kelvin, or 0.64 decibels noise figure, was measured at 152 gigahertz. These amplifiers can be used to develop receivers for instruments that operate in the 130-170 gigahertz atmospheric window, which is an important frequency band for ground-based astronomy and millimeter-wave imaging applications.
A three-stage monolithic millimeter-wave integrated-circuit (MMIC) amplifier designed to exhibit low noise in operation at frequencies from about 100 to somewhat above 180 GHz has been built and tested. This is a prototype of broadband amplifiers that have potential utility in diverse applications, including measurement of atmospheric temperature and humidity and millimeter-wave imaging for inspecting contents of opaque containers. Figure 1 depicts the amplifier as it appears before packaging. Figure 2 presents data from measurements of the performance of the amplifier as packaged in a WR-05 waveguide and tested in the frequency range from about 150 to about 190 GHz. The amplifier exhibited substantial gain throughout this frequency range. Especially notable is the fact that at 165 GHz, the noise figure was found to be 3.7 dB, and the noise temperature was found to be 370 K: This is less than half the noise temperature of the prior state of the art.