Design of InP HBT 230-GHz Frequency Multiplier Chain with a Multiplication Factor of 18

Sang Ki Min; Woo Yong Keum; Hee Kang Son; Jung Hwan Yoo; Do Yoon Kim; Jae Sung Rieh

doi:10.23075/jicas.2023.9.2.009

Sang Ki Min Korea University
Woo Yong Keum Korea University
Hee Kang Son Korea University
Jung Hwan Yoo Korea University
Do Yoon Kim Korea University
Jae Sung Rieh Korea University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0163-1640

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23075/jicas.2023.9.2.009

Keywords: 250-nm InP HBT, Frequency multiplier

Abstract

A x18 frequency multiplier chain has been designed in this work based on a 250-nm InP HBT technology. Three frequency multipliers are cascaded to form the integrated frequency multiplier chain: a 38-GHz frequency tripler, a 115-GHz frequency tripler, and a 230-GHz frequency doubler. The performances of the circuits are characterized based on simulation and presented in this paper, which will be verified with measurement when chip fabrication is completed. The 38-GHz cascode frequency tripler shows a saturated output power of 2.6 dBm at 38.3 GHz, while the 115-GHz single-balanced differential tripler exhibits an output power of 2.3 dBm at 115 GHz. With the 230-GHz frequency doubler, saturated output power of 3.2 dBm was obtained. The fully integrated multiplier chain shows a saturation output power of -3.4 dBm at 230 GHz, with a peak conversion gain obtained as -2.9 dB at an input power of -1.0 dBm. The 3-dB bandwidth is 27 GHz, covering a frequency range of 223 - 250 GHz.

Author Biographies

Sang Ki Min, Korea University

Sangki Min received the B.S. degree in electronic engineering from Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, in 2021, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the School of Electrical Engineering. His current research interests include high-speed wireless transceivers for communication applications and ultra-wideband transceivers for user-defined radio system application.

Woo Yong Keum, Korea University

Woo Yong Keum received the B.S. degree in electronic engineering from Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, in 2021, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the School of Electrical Engineering. His current research interests include frequency synthesizers and wireless transceivers for terahertz radar.

Hee Kang Son, Korea University

Hee Kang Son received the B.S. and in electrical engineering from Korea University, Seoul, Korea, in 2015, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the school of Electrical Engineering. His key research interests are millimeter (mm)-wave and terahertz integrated circuits for transceiver system.

Jung Hwan Yoo, Korea University

Jung Hwan Yoo received the B.S. and in electrical engineering from Korea University, Seoul, Korea, in 2015, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the school of Electrical Engineering. His current research interests include high-speed wireless transceivers based on phase-locked loops. Mr. Yoo was a recipient of the Best Student Paper Award of the 2015 IEEE Radio Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT) Symposium.

Do Yoon Kim, Korea University

Do Yoon Kim received the B.S. and in electrical engineering from Korea University, Seoul, South Korea, in 2016, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the school of Electrical Engineering. His current research interests include high-speed wireless transceivers for communication applications and ultra-wideband transceivers for user-defined radio system application.

Jae Sung Rieh, Korea University

Jae-Sung Rieh received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electronics engineering from Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, in 1991 and 1995, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, in 1999. In 1999, he joined IBM Semiconductor R & D Center, where he was responsible for the development of high frequency SiGe HBT technologies. Since 2004, he has been with the School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea, where he is currently a Professor. Prof. Rieh was a recipient of IBM Faculty Award (2004) and a co-recipient of IEEE EDS George E. Smith Awards (2002 and 2006) and IEEE Microwave and Wireless Component Letters Tatsuo Itoh Best Paper Award (2013). He has served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters (2006-2009) and the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (2010-2013). He is the author of the book, “Introduction to Terahertz Electronics (Springer, 2021)”.

Homepage : https://pure.korea.ac.kr/en/persons/jae-sung-rieh

Design of InP HBT 230-GHz Frequency Multiplier Chain with a Multiplication Factor of 18

Abstract

Author Biographies

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