Laurenz John

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF | IAF · Business Unit High Frequency Electronics

We describe THz amplifier and front-end modules that have been developed based on an InGaAs metamorphic HEMT (mHEMT) technology for THz-wireless communication applications around 300 GHz, covering the frequency range between 270 and 330 GHz and enabling record output-power levels above 10 dBm. Furthermore, we report on the development of state-of-t...

This paper provides a brief overview on THz communications and subsequently focuses on the application of 300 GHz backhaul and fronthaul links. The fundamentals, planning and software simulation approaches as well as the realized bi-directional 300 GHz demonstrator built within the Horizon 2020 joint EU-Japan project ThoR are described. The ThoR de...

This work deals with the wafer-level integration of advanced group III-V devices and integrated circuits on silicon substrate for RF-sensor integration, such as radar functions a very high frequencies beyond 300 GHz [1]. The aim is to achieve both performance improvements on device level, co-integration with digital functions, and advanced integrat...

This work covers integration of advanced III-V semiconductors on silicon substrate for RF-sensor integration up to very high frequencies of 300 GHz and 670 GHz, respectively, including improved active device performance through intelligent engineering of the co-integrated buffer layers. Several Terahertz Monolithically-Integrated Circuits are prese...

The analysis, modeling, design, simulation, and experimental evaluation of a 400GHz on-chip antenna is presented, with a novel combination of metastructures, a microstrip patch, a quartz-based dielectric resonator, and a diamond-based anti-reflex layer—all integrated on a 35nm InGaAs metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (mHEMT) technology....

This article presents the sensitivity analysis of a superheterodyne terahertz link specifically designed for applications using the IEEE802.15.3d standard. With its wide frequency range for LO input signals in conjunction with an IF frequency range spanning over the full E -band, frequency-domain multiplexing of RF channels in the frequency range...

In this letter, we report on the development of high-gain WR-1.5 amplifier circuits, utilizing a transferred-substrate InGaAs-on-insulator (InGaAs-OI) high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) technology on Si with 20-nm gate length. A six-stage and a nine-stage amplifier circuit are described, which are based on gain cells in cascode configuration....

In this letter, we report on the realization of a two-stage 16-way solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) in the Ka -band. To this end, we describe the design of a high-power amplifier (HPA) in a 100-nm gallium nitride (GaN) process and its integration into a split-block waveguide module. The PA module achieves an output power of more than 7.6 W betw...

In this article, we present the design, manufacturing, and experimental validation of a Ka-band wide-bandwidth and low-loss 16-way combiner. We specifically focus on the analysis and demonstration of the combiner’s suitability for operation at millimeter-wave (mmW) frequencies. To that end, we extend the established radial-combiner design procedure...

This article reports on the development of high-gain cascode amplifier circuits in the frequency range around 670 GHz. The cascode circuits are based on a 35-nm metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (mHEMT) technology. Up to date, only common-source transistors have been used in HEMT-based amplifier circuits above 600 GHz. For this reason,...

The modeling, design and experimental evaluation of both a 400-GHz transmitter and receiver submillimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuit (S-MMIC) is presented in this paper. These S-MMICs are intended for a radar-based system in the aforementioned operating frequency. The transmitter occupies a total chip area of 750 ×2750 μm2. It consists of a...

In this article, we summarize the theoretical matching boundaries and show the limitations they implicate for real-world amplifier design. Starting with a common schematic prototype, we investigate the question of how to realize its electrical response in a densely routed, massively parallelized layout. To that end, we develop a comprehensive study...

The authors propose four versions of a dual‐gate active down‐conversion mixer for H‐band applications. The mixer operates at a local oscillator (LO) frequency of 240 GHz. It is designed for maximum conversion gain and a large bandwidth of at least 50 GHz from 220 to 270 GHz. Furthermore, the mixer is .optimised to operate at low LO power levels ben...

This paper presents a fully-integrated first downconversion stage for a superheterodyne receiver for high data rate communication at 300 GHz. It comprises a frequency multiplier-by-three, an active dual-gate downconverter and an LNA. The chip was fabricated in a 35nm InGaAs-based metamorphic high electron mobility transistor technology. The down-co...

In this paper, the design and performance of a medium-power amplifier (MPA) submillimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuit (S-MMIC) is presented. The MPA demonstrates a flat small-signal gain of approximately 20 dB, measured over a frequency span from 290 to 410 GHz, and a respective 3-dB bandwidth from 280 to 430 GHz. The measured output power r...

This paper discusses the necessity of through-substrate vias for compact integrated circuits (ICs) at frequencies around 300 GHz, which are implemented using backside-process-free thin-film microstrip line (TFMSL) matching networks. The technology used is a 35-nm InGaAs mHEMT technology, which is processed on a GaAs substrate. The measured S-parame...

In this paper we report on compact solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) covering the 280—330-GHz frequency range. The technology used is a 35-nm gate-length InGaAs metamorphic highelectron-mobility transistor (mHEMT) technology. Two power amplifier MMICs are reported, based on a compact unit ampl...

High-gain millimeter-wave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers have been developed, based on a planar metamorphic 20-nm gate length InGaAs metal–oxide–semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistor (MOSHEMT) technology on Si. Therefore, an Al <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">...

This letter presents a broadband power amplifier (PA) millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) demonstrating 6.7-8.3-dBm measured output power from 280 to 310 GHz at -5-dBm input power. The measured small-signal gain is 15-20 dB for 266-330 GHz, which is the maximum frequency that could be measured. A dc power of 521 mW is required for this four-s...