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Millimeter-Wave Planar Varactor Frequency Doublers643 views
Author
Porterfield, David Wilson , Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia
Advisors
Crowe, Thomas, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia
Deaver, Bascom, AS-Physics, University of Virginia
Bradley, Richard F., University of Virginia
Weikle, Robert, EN-Elec/Computer Engr Dept, University of Virginia
Jones, Stephen H., Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia
Lichtenberger, Arthur, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia
Abstract
A pair of millimeter-wave frequency multipliers, a 40/80 GHz balanced doubler and an 80/160 GHz balanced doubler, were designed using advanced three dimensional electromagnetic simulation tools. The doublers comprise a mechanically rugged planar GaAs Schottky varactor chip mounted on a quartz circuit housed in a split waveguide block. The doublers are designed for wide-band, fixed-tuned operation. Methodologies for designing the planar varactor chips and circuits were developed. The 40/80 GHz doubler exhibits record fixed-tuned bandwidth, output power and efficiency. Moreover, there exists a high level of agreement between the simulated and measured results, validating the design methodology and the simulation tools.
The 40/80 GHz doubler exhibits a measured 3 dB bandwidth of 17% at an input power of 200 mW. At 41/82 GHz, the measured efficiency is 51% at an input power of 150 mW. The efficiency drops to 48% at an input power of 200 mW. The measured and simulated bandwidths are nearly identical and the measured peak output power is within 1.8 dB of the simulated result. The 40/80 GHz doubler is also evaluated at cryogenic temperatures in a calibrated dewar. The measured efficiency is 61% at an input power of 150 mW and a block temperature of 14 K. The efficiency drops to 48% at an input power of 365 mW and output power of 175 mW.
Simulations for the 80/160 GHz doubler show efficiency and bandwidth similar to the 40/80 GHz design. Measured results indicate a peak efficiency of 21%, peak output power of 16 mW, and fixed-tuned bandwidth of 15%.
Degree
PHD (Doctor of Philosophy)
Language
English
Rights
All rights reserved (no additional license for public reuse)
Porterfield, David Wilson . Millimeter-Wave Planar Varactor Frequency Doublers. University of Virginia, Department of Electrical Engineering, PHD (Doctor of Philosophy), 1998-01-01, https://doi.org/10.18130/v3-712p-9943.
