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X-band MMICs for a Low-Cost Radar Transmit/Receive Module in 250 nm GaN HEMT Technology
Hyeonseok Lee1, Hyeong-Geun Park1, Van-Du Le1
1Division of Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, Republic of Korea.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 11, 2023
Summary
This study presents Gallium Nitride (GaN) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) for X-band radar transceiver front-ends. These GaN MMICs enable cost-effective transmit/receive modules (TRMs) for Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems.
Area of Science:
- Microwave Engineering
- Semiconductor Devices
- Radar Systems
Background:
- Conventional radar systems often rely on bulky and lossy components like circulators and limiters.
- Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) technology offers superior power handling and efficiency for high-frequency applications.
- Developing integrated solutions is crucial for reducing the size and cost of radar modules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and verify Gallium Nitride (GaN) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) for an X-band radar transceiver front-end.
- To realize a fully GaN-based transmit/receive module (TRM) by integrating SPDT T/R switches, driving amplifier (DA), high-power amplifier (HPA), and low-noise amplifier (LNA).
- To demonstrate a cost-effective solution for Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) using 0.25 μm GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) technology.
- Design and fabrication of two versions of single pole double throw (SPDT) transmit/receive (T/R) switches.
- Development and verification of a driving amplifier (DA), a high-power amplifier (HPA), and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) for the X-band TRM.
Main Results:
- SPDT T/R switches achieved insertion losses of 1.21 dB and 0.66 dB at 9 GHz with IP1dB > 44.7 dBm, outperforming conventional GaAs components.
- The driving amplifier (DA) demonstrated a saturated output power (Psat) of 38.0 dBm and OP1dB of 25.84 dBm.
- The high-power amplifier (HPA) achieved Psat of 43.0 dBm and 35.6% power-added efficiency (PAE).
- The low-noise amplifier (LNA) exhibited a small-signal gain of 34.9 dB, a noise figure of 2.56 dB, and robust input power handling (> 38 dBm).
Conclusions:
- The developed GaN MMICs successfully form a fully GaN-based transmit/receive module (TRM).
- These MMICs offer a viable, cost-effective alternative to conventional components, enabling improved performance in radar systems.
- The presented technology is well-suited for implementing cost-effective TRMs for X-band Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems.
