A novel planar diode mixer for submillimeter-wave applications

A mixer employing a planar GaAs Schottky diode has been designed and tested over a 300-365 GHz bandwidth. Using a planar diode eliminates the disadvantages of mechanical instability and labor-intensive assembly associated with conventional whisker-contacted diodes. The mixer design process uses scale model impedance measurements for both the design of individual components and the measurement of impedances presented to the diode terminals by the mixer mount at fundamental and harmonic frequencies. Results from these impedance measurements are used in linear and nonlinear numerical mixer analyses to predict the mixer performance.<
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