V- and W-Band Millimeter-Wave GaN MMICs

This paper gives an overview of published results with GaN MMICs for millimeter-wave front ends at frequencies above 60 GHz, including power and low-noise amplifiers, switches, phase shifters, frequency multipliers and oscillators. Some design methods and demonstrated experimental results obtained at W band from MMICs fabricated in a 40-nm GaN on 50-mu m SiC process are then presented. These include 75 to 110 GHz power amplifiers with 20-27 dBm output power and 10-17 dB gain, switches with 2 dB insertion loss and 20 dB isolation, and continuous phase shifters with 2-11 dB loss and 0 degrees-90 degrees of tunable phase shift. Additional MMICs include frequency doublers and triplers, oscillators, circulators and mixers, designed for higher levels of on-chip integration towards a W-band front end.