A compact C-band down converter SiP with integrated LO in a metal ceramic package

This paper presents the design and development of a compact C-band down converter realized in a 12mm×12mm surface mount metal ceramic package. The size reduction has been achieved by development of compact sized MMIC components required for the receiver, viz., a double balanced mixer, a voltage controlled oscillator with on-chip varactor and RF and IF amplifiers. All the MMICs have been designed and fabricated using indigenously developed 0.7μm GaAs MESFET (G7A) technology at GAETEC. The receiver works in a frequency range of 5.0-6.0 GHz and produces down converted signal in 500-1500 MHz band when beaten with internal LO of the receiver, operated at 4.5 GHz. The conversion gain of the receiver is 27dB with a noise figure of 5dB. The RF-IF and LO-IF isolation of better than 25dB is achieved though EM optimized placement of MMICs and isolation barriers inside the package.

[1]  B. K. Sehgal,et al.  A very wideband FET resistive MMIC double balanced mixer based on empirical non-linear cold FET model , 2015, 2015 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave and RF Conference (IMaRC).

[2]  Dong Wook Kim,et al.  System in a package solution for RF receiver with SAW filter integration , 2002, 52nd Electronic Components and Technology Conference 2002. (Cat. No.02CH37345).

[4]  J. Birkeland.  A low power GaAs MESFET monolithic downconverter for digital handheld telephone applications , 1993, 1993 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[5]  Hannu Tenhunen,et al.  Chip Package Co-design of 5GHz RF Receiver Front-End using Multichip Module Technology , 2005 .

[6]  C. Trantanella,et al.  A GaAs +3V low noise integrated downconverter for C-band applications [using MESFETs] , 1999, GaAs IC Symposium. IEEE Gallium Arsenide Integrated Circuit Symposium. 21st Annual. Technical Digest 1999 (Cat. No.99CH36369).