A doubly balanced monolithic microwave passive mixer using novel configurations is designed and fabricated through a 0.15 μm GaAs pHEMT process. The configuration of the doubly balanced mixer (DBM) can eliminate the use of two dual baluns for application in the conventional star mixer, as well as make the mixer more compact and simplify IF extraction to obtain wider IF bandwidth up to 15 GHz. From the measured results, the fabricated DBM exhibits wideband performance, superior isolations and high dynamic range.
2. Maas, S. A. and K. W. Chang, "A broadband, planar, doubly balanced monolithic Ka-band diode mixer," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 41, No. 12, 2330-2335, Dec. 1993.
doi:10.1109/22.260725
3. Yang, T. Y., W. R. Lien, C. C. Yang, and H. K. Chiou, "A compact V-band star mixer using compensated overlay capacitors in dual baluns," IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., Vol. 17, No. 7, 537-539, Jul. 2007.
doi:10.1109/LMWC.2007.899321
4. Yeom, K. W. and D. H. Ko, "A novel 60-GHz monolithic star mixer using gate-drain-connected pHEMT diodes," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 53, No. 7, 2435-2440, Jul. 2005.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.2005.850402
5. Lin, C. H., J. C. Chiu, C. M Lin, Y. A. Lai, and Y. H. Wang, "A variable conversion gain star mixer for Ka-Band applications," IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., Vol. 17, No. 11, 802-804, Nov. 2007.
6. Kim, S. S., J. H. Lee, and K. W. Yeom, "A novel planar dual balun for doubly balanced star mixer," IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., Vol. 14, No. 9, 440-442, Sep. 2004.
doi:10.1109/LMWC.2004.832063
7. Chang, C. Y., C. W. Tang, and D. C. Niu, "Ultra-broad-band doubly balanced star mixers using planar Mouw's hybrid junction," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 41, No. 6, 1077-1085, Jun. 2001.
doi:10.1109/22.925494
8. Yoon, Y. J., Y. Lu, R. C. Frye, and P. R. Smith, "Modeling of monolithic RF spiral transmission-line balun," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 49, No. 2, 393-395, Feb. 2001.
doi:10.1109/22.903105
9. Kuo, C. C., C. L. Kuo, C. J. Kuo, S. A. Maas, and H. Wang, "Novel miniature and broadband millimeter-wave monolithic star mixers," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 56, No. 4, 793-802, Apr. 2008.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.2008.919063
10. Lin, C. H., C. M. Lin, Y. A. Lai, and Y. H. Wang, "A 26-38 GHz monolithic doubly balanced mixer," IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., Vol. 18, No. 9, 623-625, Sep. 2008.
doi:10.1109/LMWC.2008.2002465
11. Lai, Y. A., S. H. Hung, C. N. Chen, and Y. H. Wang, "A millimeter-wave monolithic star mixer with simple if extraction circuit," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 23, No. 17-18, 2433-2440, 2009.
12. An, D., S. C. Kim, J. D. Park, M. K. Lee, H. C. Park, S. D. Kim, W. J. Kim, and J. K. Rhee, "A novel 94-GHz MHEMT resistive mixer using a micromachined ring coupler," IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett., Vol. 16, No. 6, 467-469, Aug. 2006.
doi:10.1109/LMWC.2006.879482
13. Pozar, D. M., Microwave Engineering, 2 Ed., Wiley, New York, 1998.
14. Lange, J., "Interdigitated stripline quadrature hybrid," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory and Tech., Vol. 17, 1150-1151, Dec. 1969.
doi:10.1109/TMTT.1969.1127115