A 600 GHz Low-Noise Amplifier Module

A compact WR-1.5 (500-750 GHz) low-noise amplifier (LNA) circuit has been developed, based on a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) technology utilizing 20 nm metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (mHEMTs). The realized six-stage LNA TMIC achieved a maximum gain of 15.4 dB at 576 GHz and more than 10 dB in the frequency range from 555 to 619 GHz. For low-loss packaging of the circuit, a waveguide-to-microstrip transition has been fabricated on a 20 mu m thick GaAs substrate, demonstrating an insertion loss of only 1 dB between 500 and 720 GHz. The realized LNA module achieved a small-signal gain of 14.1 dB at 600 GHz and a room temperature (T = 293 K) noise figure of 15 dB at the frequency of operation.