Development of a MMIC chip-set for W-band space-borne communications

The feasibility of a W-band (81-86 GHz) downconverter for space-borne communications is verified in this paper through the design of a custom MMIC chip-set. The latter is composed of three functionalities: a low-noise amplifier (LNA), a sub-harmonically pumped mixer (SHM), and an active frequency doubler that provides the local oscillator (LO) pump to the mixer. The MMICs have been designed with OMMIC's 70 nm and UMS's 100nm GaAs technologies, in order to exploit the best-of-both technologies (low-noise and power-handling at millimetre-wave). The LNA features 23 dB gain and sub-2.5 dB Noise Figure in the whole operating band, while the mixer shows 13 dB conversion loss (CL). Finally, the active doubler provides > +10dBm pump at the necessary LO frequency.