A low cost wideband 1-3 GHz vector modulator in E/D GaAs technology

This paper presents the performance of a wideband monolithic vector modulator (1 - 3 GHz) designed and fabricated at Philips Microwave Limeil. Carrier and side-band rejections of more than 30 dBc are guaranteed over the 2 GHz bandwidth. This corresponds to a maximum amplitude and phase error of less than 1 dB and 4 ° respectively. The use of our mixed mode high performance ERO5AD GaAs process leads to a low power consumption (300 mW) combined to a very compact chip (1.34 mm2), allowing the use of a low cost plastic package (QFP48). This leads to a high performance and low cost standard product, which is considered today mandatory for consumer and even industrial applications.