The Six-Port in Modern Society

Modern wireless sensing and communication systems are often based on high bandwidth and high carrier frequencies. In the range beyond 100 GHz, common receiver architectures, like active homodyne or heterodyne receivers, have an issue with the amplification needed for mixing. Also, high bandwidth is a problem for these systems. In this context, the six-port receiver is a good alternative, just as well as for lowvolume markets. The six-port concept is based on the additive superposition of the two RF input signals using four different relative phases leading to constructive or destructive interaction. The resulting signals are directly downconverted to baseband by diode circuits operated in detector or mixing mode. The complexvalued information can be easily reconstructed from the four baseband voltages. Historic evolution leads from the reflectometer approach for an alternative vector network analyzer to receivers for sensing and communications. A recent topic is the technology gap in automotive workshops for adjusting the long-range radar sensor of a car. Here, the six-port concept as alignment tool is a good choice, because of its excellent phase resolution. Currently, the integration of the six-port receiver on a MMIC for frequencies beyond 100 GHz is the focus of current work and will be intensified in the future. Will the six-port concept replace common active homodyne and heterodyne receivers? No, but it is a serious alternative for millimeter-wave frequencies and ultrahigh-bandwidth applications in wireless sensing and communication systems. This modern concept can tap new markets for both wireless sensors and sensor networks.