Highly Efficient D-Band Fundamental Frequency Source Based on InP-DHBT Technology

Abstract

Local oscillator signal generation with low phase-noise is an important topic for future communications systems operating in D-band and beyond. This paper presents a D-band fundamental reflection-type source with high DC-to-RF efficiency and low phase-noise properties, realized using a transferred-substrate (TS) $\mathbf{0.8} \mu \mathbf{m}$ InP-DHBT process. It delivers 9.5 dBm peak output power, with 2 GHz tuning range. The DC consumption is only 43.5 mW from a single 2.5 volts power supply, which corresponds to 20 % peak DC-to-RF efficiency. The measured single side band (SSB) phase noise reaches −94 dBc/Hz and −115 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz and 10 MHz offset frequency, respectively. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the highest DC-to-RF efficiency reported so far in this frequency range with excellent phase noise performance and state-of-the-art output power.