X-band low phase noise mmic vco & high power mmic spdt design

Abstract

Generally the tuning bandwidth (BW) of a VCO is smaller than the tuning BW of the resonant circuit itself. Using proper components with right topology can handle this problem. In order to overcome this problem and improve the tuning BW of the VCO, common-base inductive feedback topology with Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) is used and an optimized topology for tank circuit is selected to minimize the effect of bandwidth limiting components. Designed VCO with this topology achived -117 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset phase noise with 9-13 dBm output power between 8.8-11.4 GHz band. Second part of the thesis composed of Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) RF Switch design. From mesa resistors to SPDT fabrication, everything is fabricated using Bilkent University NANOTAM Gallium Nitride (GaN) on Silicon Carbide (SiC) process. Switching HEMTs are fabricated to generate a model to design SPDTs and the final design works between DC-12 GHz with less than 1.4 dB insertion loss (IL), -20 dB isolation and 14.5 dB return loss (RL) at worst case. The power handling of the switches are better than 40 dBm at output with 0.2 dB compression, which is measured with continuous wave (CW) signal at 10 GHz.