Q-band down-converting module for Multi Pixel Camera receivers

Multi-Pixel Cameras represent an emerging architecture for arrays receivers, improving speed and accuracy of radio-astronomical sky surveys by means of a matrix of phased elements. This work faces the requirement of delivering to each pixel a high frequency LO signal (32GHz) without loss of synchronism: a new system architecture made up of an amplifying-multiplying chain and an amplifying-mixing section both integrated in the same 3×2mm2 chip is presented. The Q-band down-converting module, pumped by 4GHz local oscillator, operates in the whole 33–50GHz range with a really ultra-broadband IF section (1–18GHz).

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